"The Iranian team is coming for sure, yes. We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be a peaceful situation. As I said, that would definitely help. But Iran has to come. Of course, they represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play."
"I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well. And they really want to play and they should play. Sports should be outside of politics now."
"OK we don't live on the moon, we live on planet Earth. But you know if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and in keeping them, you know, intact and together, well we are doing that job."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed Iran's participation in the World Cup, emphasizing the importance of their presence despite ongoing conflict with the U.S. He expressed hope for a peaceful situation by the tournament. Infantino praised the Iranian national team, stating they are skilled and eager to play. He acknowledged the challenges of separating sports from politics but affirmed the commitment to building bridges. The U.S. will co-host the World Cup, with Iran scheduled to play in California and Seattle, despite safety concerns raised by U.S. officials.
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]