Infantino meets Trump at White House to discuss 2026 World Cup preparations

FIFA President Gianni Infantino met with United States President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday to review preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with the tournament now just 93 days from kick-off.

Following the meeting, Infantino confirmed that discussions centered on logistics and the growing anticipation for the event, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

A key topic of the conversation was the participation of the Iranian national team. Infantino stated that President Trump explicitly assured him that the Iranian delegation would be permitted to enter the country to compete.

“During the discussions, President Trump reiterated that the Iranian team is, of course, welcome to compete in the tournament in the United States,” Infantino said in a statement released after the talks.

The FIFA President emphasized the unifying power of the global tournament amid current international tensions. “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever,” Infantino added, thanking the U.S. President for his support and noting that the meeting served as “another example that Football Unites the World.”

The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history, featuring 48 teams across 16 host cities in North America.