Fifa COO Heimo Schirgi said the World Cup is “too big” and that the 2026 tournament will go on as planned despite ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC) in Dallas on Monday, Schirgi was specifically asked about Iran, whose participation in the World Cup is uncertain due to the war waged on the country by Israel and the US.
“At some stage, we will have a resolution, and the World Cup will go on, obviously,” Schirgi said. “The World Cup is too big, and we hope that everyone can participate that has qualified.”
Schirgi said that Fifa is monitoring the situation in the Middle East closely while working with federal and international partners to evaluate daily developments.
Fifa said last week that it is keeping an eye on events in Iran just months before the start of the World Cup in June. Iran qualified for the tournament through the Asian Football Conference.
Iran is scheduled to play Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt in Group G. Two of the games are set for Los Angeles and one in Seattle. Schirgi said Fifa has been in contact with Iran’s soccer federation but declined to provide details of those conversations.
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest yet, with 48 nations competing across three countries. The US will host games in 11 cities, Mexico in three and Canada in two.
Fifa officials were in Dallas for the announcement of plans for the city’s fan festival, with the IBC inside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center still under construction.
Schirgi said the IBC will operate around the clock during the World Cup and is expected to bring 3,000-3,500 media members to Dallas.
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