FIFA faces quandary over US and Iran involvement at 2026 World Cup
The US became involved in the recent 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, which ended with an American-brokered ceasefire on Tuesday, when it dropped bunker-buster bombs on several targets inside Iran over the weekend.
The mission was hailed by the Trump administration as a profound blow to Iran's nuclear programme, despite a US intelligence report later casting doubt on its effectiveness.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei claimed on Thursday that the US had "achieved no gains from this war".
Amid the tension between the two countries, questions have been raised about the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US and in which Iran will compete.
Next year, Iran can only avoid matches in the US if they are placed in Group A, which is exclusively played in Mexico, another of the tournament's three hosts.
According to the tournament system, if Iran tops Group A, it will play its round of 32 and round of 16 matches in Mexico.
However, if they advance further into the knockout rounds, they would have to move to the US, potentially opening the door to unprecedented diplomatic and security issues.
Under FIFA regulations, there is no provision that would prevent Iranians from playing on US soil, even though the Trump administration recently imposed a travel ban on Iranian nationals. An exemption could apply to Iran's football squad and its staff.
Internal FIFA consultations are expected to be held ahead of the draw for the tournament in December.
The final decision on the groupings will be made by the FIFA Council, which is chaired by the organisation's President Gianni Infantino, who has close ties to Trump.
The FIFA Competitions Organising Committee - which includes representatives from the hosts Canada, Mexico and Iran and which is chaired by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin - will play an advisory role.
The European position could set a precedent, as UEFA decided in 2022 to separate Ukraine and Belarus in the draw for European competitions, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Euronews has reached out to FIFA for comment about the US and Iran's involvement at next year's tournament.
The Iranian national team secured its qualification to the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time in March.
It competed in the last tournament in Qatar in 2022, where it faced its American counterpart in a match that attracted widespread political and media attention.
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