Infantino: Iran in 2026 World Cup, Unity Over Politics

0:00It's April 30th. This is Canada News today, AI-powered stories from your city. I'm Cory with the story. FIFA President Gianni Infantino opened the Congress and Vancouver by straight up confirming Iran will compete in the 2026 World Cup. No delays, no drama. He laid it out right at the start, making sure everyone knew the tournament stays inclusive. He doubled down on unity as the big reason, saying football's job is to bring folks together when the world's full of dividers. We got enough problems out there, he argued, so let's smile, stay positive, and use events like this Congress and the World Cup to build bridges. Iran was the only member nation missing from the Vancouver gathering. Their delegation got blocked by Canadian immigration in Toronto earlier this week, even with valid visas. The issue ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which Canada labels a terrorist group. Tensions between Iran and the United States had folks speculating the team my boycott all together.

1:00That's because their matches are set for Seattle and Los Angeles, right in the mix of that ongoing conflict. Infantino stance keeps the focus on football's power to unite, pushing past politics so the global stage stays whole for 2026.