In light of the recent military actions taken by the United States—one of the co-hosts of this summer’s Men’s World Cup—FIFA has announced it will “monitor developments” in Iran. The nation has qualified for the tournament and is set to play its group matches in the US.
President Donald Trump, who received the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA president Gianni Infantino in December, declared the initiation of missile strikes on Iran on Saturday, referring to the operation as a “major combat operation.”
Iran secured its spot in the World Cup finals through the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and is scheduled to compete in Group G alongside Belgium, New Zealand, and Egypt. However, with the US’s military actions underway, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom has stated that the organization will be closely monitoring the situation.
“I learned about the news regarding Iran this morning, just like everyone else,” Grafstrom remarked at the International Football Association Board (IFAB) meeting in Cardiff on Saturday.
“We held a meeting earlier today, and while I cannot comment in detail at this stage, we will keep an eye on developments concerning various global issues.”
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“We recently conducted the finals draw in Washington, where all teams were present, and our primary focus is to ensure a safe World Cup for all participating teams.”
“We will maintain our regular communication with the three host governments as we always do. The safety of everyone involved is our utmost priority.”
Los Angeles is set to host two of Iran’s matches, while Seattle will be the venue for their game against Egypt on June 26.