Donald Trump has said Iran is welcome to take part in the World Cup, despite the two countries being in conflict, according to Gianni Infantino.
Infantino said he met Trump on Tuesday to talk about preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and starts on 11 June. During the meeting, they also discussed the current situation in Iran.
Iran are scheduled to play three matches in the United States, but their participation had been uncertain after the US and Israel carried out strikes in Iran earlier this month that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran later responded by launching missiles and drones towards Israel and several Gulf countries that host US military bases.
Infantino said Trump confirmed that the Iranian national team is still welcome to compete in the tournament. He added that events like the World Cup help bring people together and show how football can unite the world.
Iran are due to play New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on 15 and 21 June, and Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
Earlier, Trump told Politico he did not mind if Iran took part in the World Cup. Meanwhile, the president of the Iran Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, said the recent attacks have made it difficult to look forward to the tournament with hope.
