Infantino Backs Iran in World Cup Amid Tensions

0:00On April 1st, FIFA President Gianni Infantino just met up with Iran's National Soccer Team in Turkey, marking his first visit since those U.S. and Israeli air strikes hit Iran about a month back. He flew in from Florida to Antalya, where the squad played a key warm-up match ahead of the World Cup that the U.S., Canada, and Mexico are co-hosting. Infantino pledged full support to keep their prep on point. Right after linking with the players and Federation bosses, he posted on Instagram that FIFA's locked in to give them the best shot at success. This comes as Iran gears up for group games in Inglewood, California, and Seattle, right on U.S. soil-facing, New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. The team showing real heart amid the tension. Before kicking off against Costa Rica, players and coach pose with photos of kids killed in the late February strikes. Earlier, they held backpacks to honor victims from a school missile hit that took over 165 lives, mostly children.

1:02Iranian officials floated moving their games to Mexico. Over safety worries sparked by former President Trump's warnings, but Infantino shut that down. Speaking in Mexico City last weekend, he stressed there's only planned ANO backups from the original draw. Iran's a powerhouse in Asia, tipped to reach knockouts, and maybe face the U.S. in the round of 32. They crushed Costa Rica 5-0 in that fanless friendly Tuesday, staying sharp as tension simmer in the Middle East. That's your update from Global News Today, powered by AI.