Infantino: "Iran National Team Will Participate in World Cup, Sport Must Remain Outside Politics"
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that the Iranian national team will participate in the upcoming World Cup finals, despite prevailing circumstances, stressing the importance of keeping sport separate from political tensions.
“The Iranian national team will certainly participate in the World Cup,” Infantino stated in remarks quoted by The Associated Press. “We hope that by then, of course, the situation will be peaceful.”
He added, “A peaceful situation will certainly help. But the Iranian team must come. They represent their people. They have qualified, and the players want to play.”
Infantino continued, “I went to see them in Turkey two weeks ago during the international break. They are actually a good team, and they really want to play and they should play. Sport must be outside politics now.”
It is worth noting that the Iranian national team was drawn into Group G alongside the Egyptian national team, as well as the national teams of Belgium and New Zealand.
