By Euronews Arabic
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FIFA is going through questions on the way it will handle the involvement of each the US and Iran at subsequent yr’s World Cup, simply days after Donald Trump ordered the bombing of three Iranian nuclear amenities.
The US turned concerned within the latest 12-day battle between Israel and Iran, which ended with an American-brokered ceasefire on Tuesday, when it dropped bunker-buster bombs on a number of targets inside Iran over the weekend.
The mission was hailed by the Trump administration as a profound blow to Iran’s nuclear programme, regardless of a US intelligence report later casting doubt on its effectiveness.
In the meantime, Iran’s Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei claimed on Thursday that the US had “achieved no positive factors from this warfare”.
Amid the stress between the 2 international locations, questions have been raised concerning the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which might be co-hosted by the US and by which Iran will compete.
Subsequent yr, Iran can solely keep away from matches within the US if they’re positioned in Group A, which is completely performed in Mexico, one other of the event’s three hosts.
In line with the event system, if Iran tops Group A, it would play its spherical of 32 and spherical of 16 matches in Mexico.
Nevertheless, in the event that they advance additional into the knockout rounds, they must transfer to the US, probably opening the door to unprecedented diplomatic and safety points.
Below FIFA laws, there isn’t a provision that will stop Iranians from enjoying on US soil, despite the fact that the Trump administration not too long ago imposed a journey ban on Iranian nationals. An exemption might apply to Iran’s soccer squad and its workers.
Inner FIFA consultations are anticipated to be held forward of the draw for the event in December.
The ultimate choice on the groupings might be made by the FIFA Council, which is chaired by the organisation’s President Gianni Infantino, who has shut ties to Trump.
The FIFA Competitions Organising Committee – which incorporates representatives from the hosts Canada, Mexico and Iran and which is chaired by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin – will play an advisory position.
The European place might set a precedent, as UEFA determined in 2022 to separate Ukraine and Belarus within the draw for European competitions, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Euronews has reached out to FIFA for remark concerning the US and Iran’s involvement at subsequent yr’s event.
The Iranian nationwide workforce secured its qualification to the World Cup for the fourth consecutive time in March.
It competed within the final event in Qatar in 2022, the place it confronted its American counterpart in a match that attracted widespread political and media consideration.
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