Tag: Gianni Infantino

Infantino’s idolisation of Trump has left football with blood on its hands

Story by Barney Ronay
 The Guardian

Mr President. Fellow exco members. We’re going to need a bigger Board of Peace. How many mini‑pitches are we up to now? Gaza got 50 of them last month. What will it take to football-fix the global conflict being set in train by Fifa’s own Peace Prize Boy? A hundred mini-pitches? Four billion mini-pitches? All the mini‑pitches in the universe?

In a more sane version of what we must, out of habit, call the real world, it would seem absurd to talk about sports administration in the context of the US, Iran and the airborne conflict being played out across the borders of their allies.

Sport is the most important of all the unimportant things. Sport is a part of a culture you fight for, but not a part of the battle. Sport is also prone to insisting on its own importance, shoving itself to the front of every photo like a particularly deluded family Labrador.

When news emerged on Monday that Iran had launched a drone attack on the Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia, there was an urge to point out this is a mere 250 miles from Cristiano Ronaldo’s house. Do we need a footballers‑and-their-war-menaced-mansions gallery? Meanwhile the UK government has advised British nationals in Saudi to stay inside and take cover. So … you’re saying this is an Ivan Toney story?

There are two reasons why this dynamic has now shifted, why football is not just an observer but an active participant in this picture; reasons that should in any sane version of reality be hugely damaging for Fifa and its executive.

The basic premise is jaw‑dropping enough. The co‑host of the Fifa World Cup finals this summer is currently bombing one of its participating nations. The co‑host of the tournament has murdered the head of state of the third‑ranked team in Group G.

Nothing quite like this has happened before. Britain was involved in bloody conflicts in Borneo and Aden while it hosted the 1966 World Cup. Russia has been banned from international sport as a consequence of invading the borders of a sovereign state, although this was still deemed unproblematic in 2018.

Clearly, nobody out there will have the will or the courage to apply a similar logic to the US. The issue is the extent of Fifa and Gianni Infantino’s willingness to act as a fluffer, ally and de facto propaganda mouthpiece for Donald Trump’s regime.

Never mind how gravely Infantino might frown, while pretending this has all been necessary realpolitik. The fact is, Fifa has tied itself with unquestioning zeal to a US president who has initiated eight acts of overseas aggression in his second term. And football has blood on its hands now, too.

This might seem like a stretch, or an overly dramatic take on the necessary exercise of Fifa’s global remit. But this has also been a choice. Infantino has, in full view of the consequences, repeatedly put Fifa in the same room as Trump’s autocratic exercise of power. Not as a guest or a bystander, but as an enabler, an active participant in the publicity machine.

Under its own statutes Fifa is supposed to be politically neutral. And yet this has still happened, to a degree that it has by now moved past cartoonish to grotesque. It was a choice to trail after the president like a goggle-eyed teenager offering gifts, a bauble here, a peace prize there, a strange and frightening Club World Cup trophy replica that looks like it contains a tiny drawer full of crow’s heads.

It was a choice not just to award Trump a peace prize, but to invent a peace prize from scratch so he could win it, that fittingly gruesome drag‑me‑to‑hell golden bauble with its nest of clawing hands.

As was the related announcement of the weird and pointless Gaza mini-pitch construction project, with its manipulative background imagery of rubble and displaced people casually tossed into the mix, a gruesome form of public conscience washing.

All of this is doubly absurd given the continued participation in the Fifa-verse of Israel, the same nation that is levelling Gaza’s existing infrastructure. Almost as an afterthought, it goes without saying that the weapons being used to reduce these people’s homes to rubble are being part-funded by the hosts of this summer’s tournament and Infantino’s own daddy‑regime. But never mind. The president has a golden peace ball. Keep looking at the peace ball.

In the end this will catch up with you. The open doors, the hours at the buffet table, the ballroom passes, all come at a cost. Fifa may not be directly responsible for all this. But it is now decisively part of the image-making that has empowered Trump to take his extreme executive actions.

There is of course a hugely complex set of demands in play here. The idea of a right and wrong side of history is never really clear. Sometimes you might straddle many of them all at once. But Fifa is so clearly drawn to the nearest power source, the biggest stick, the grandest stage, all the while presenting itself as grave and stately ambassador of hope, led by a man who increasingly resembles essence of pure inauthenticity, reconstituted into human form, packed into a blue suit and pushed out on stage to talk about peace, in the voice of a man addressing you from the bridge of his own golden ship of hope.

What happens next is entirely uncertain. As news broke of the US bombardment of Tehran, Fifa executives were at Hensol Castle in Wales overseeing the 140th annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board, which is at least a suitably scaled occupation for a bunch of sports administrators.

It seems impossible that Iran can now compete at the World Cup this summer, or indeed that it should have been present in any case given the regime is accused of killing tens of thousands of civilian protesters. The Iranian FA has stated it “cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope”. Its fans were already banned from entering the US.

Under Fifa’s statutes, there is no direct remedy should Iran drop out, although there is pretty much a free hand under force majeure for the executive committee to act as it sees fit. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar, struck by Iranian bombs in the past few days, were in the same qualifying group. As were North Korea. Perhaps Infantino has a route here to usher in another dear leader.

Some kind of fudge will be offered. A World Cup will take place if there is still a world left to contest it. The US needs this to happen. The show must continue. And this is an incidental aspect of the extraordinary story of Trump and Infantino. Football is always telling you things about the world, always running ahead to the tide.

Amir Ghalenoei

In this case it is providing the ideal, textbook, read-it-and-take-notes lesson in how dictatorships and propaganda work, how power glosses its actions with noise. How spectacle is used to flood the zone, and how nothing floods the zone like football.

In any sane version of sports governance Infantino should, at the end of all this, be forced to explain his actions, to justify taking global football into this space. It won’t happen. His own executive power is absolute.

The money continues to flow to his sub-partners. But history will still judge him, and judge his version of Fifa. There is no way of escaping that lens. And from here it already looks like the most grotesque, post-truth, fawningly complicit version of big sport ever devised.

Iran Withdraws from 2026 World Cup Draw in Protest Over U.S. Visa Denials

Tehran – In a significant diplomatic and sporting escalation, the Iranian Football Federation has announced it will boycott the official draw ceremony for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing “unsportsmanlike” and politically motivated visa denials by the United States for two members of its delegation.

The decision, confirmed by Iranian football official Amir Mehdi Alavi, follows days of frantic negotiations and represents a direct challenge to FIFA’s authority and its guarantees of fair access to all member associations.

A Decision Forced by “Unsportsmanlike” Actions

According to Alavi, the crisis unfolded when the United States failed to grant visas to several essential members of the Iranian contingent slated to travel for the draw ceremony. The U.S., along with Canada and Mexico, is a co-host of the 2026 tournament.

“After extensive inquiries within the Football Federation, a meeting of the Board of Directors, and high-level consultations with officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this issue was formally reported to FIFA,” Alavi stated.

He emphasized that the nature of the visa denials forced Iran’s hand. “Given that the decisions taken are unsportsmanlike and the path has strayed entirely from the sporting process, it was decided that the Iranian delegation will not be present at the Official World Cup 2026 draw ceremony,” Alavi declared. “We cannot participate in a process that is already compromised.”

Direct Appeals to FIFA’s Highest Levels

The Iranian Federation has not been silent in its protest. Alavi revealed that over the past 48 hours, the federation has been in urgent correspondence with world football’s governing body, bringing the matter directly to the attention of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafström.

“FIFA has acknowledged the gravity of the situation and has announced that it will seriously follow up on the issue,” Alavi said. “We believed it was our duty to inform FIFA, and President Infantino personally, that the fundamental principles of fair play and inclusion are being violated.”

Broken Promises and a Precedent of Assurance

Alavi pointed to a specific precedent that makes the current visa denials particularly jarring. He recalled that during the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup final against Uzbekistan, President Infantino was present in the Iranian national team’s locker room.

“On that occasion,” Alavi recounted, “President Infantino personally assured our players that the presence of the Iranian convoy would be guaranteed from the beginning of the draw ceremony until the last day of the national team’s participation in the World Cup, including all essential workshops and events.”

This assurance now rings hollow, as the logistical foundation for Iran’s participation has collapsed before the tournament draw has even taken place.

A Delegation in Limbo

The practical implications of the visa issue are stark. Alavi explained that even the president of the Iranian Football Federation, who holds official positions within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA, has had his flight ticket issued.

However, the delegation faces a crippling imbalance. “The security director and the executive director, who are indispensable for our participation in the mandatory pre-tournament workshops, have not been granted visas,” Alavi revealed. This creates an untenable situation where the delegation’s leadership could attend, but the operational staff responsible for safety and logistics could not.

“There is no guarantee that the five people scheduled to attend the drawing ceremony will not face problems,” Alavi concluded, underscoring the profound uncertainty that now clouds Iran’s entire pathway to the 2026 World Cup.

A Deeper Conflict Behind the Boycott

However, a different perspective on the visa denials has emerged from sources familiar with the U.S. position. It should be noted that neither the security director nor the executive director, who were denied the visa, are considered essential for Iran’s presence at the drawing ceremony itself. Their roles are primarily relevant for subsequent operational workshops.

In fact, the inclusion of a security director in a delegation for a football draw ceremony has reportedly raised alarms with U.S. authorities. The presence of such a role is unusual for a sporting event of this nature and is understood to be a significant factor in the visa denial. This decision comes as U.S. authorities are in the midst of a broader, heightened crackdown on the activities of non-U.S. citizens within the United States, particularly those affiliated with certain foreign governments.

A Test for FIFA’s Authority

This incident places FIFA in an extraordinarily difficult position, caught between the protest of a member association and the legitimate security and immigration policies of one of its host nations. Iran’s boycott represents a powerful symbolic protest, but the underlying reasons for the visa denials reveal a more complex dispute that extends far beyond the football pitch. The world football body’s next steps will be closely watched as it attempts to navigate this profound diplomatic impasse, which raises serious questions about its ability to insulate the World Cup from international political tensions.

FIFA President Infantino Visits Iran Locker Room, Congratulates Team on World Cup Qualification

(Tashkent, Uzbekistan) – Following Iran’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Uzbekistan in the CAFA Nations Cup 2025 final, FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a surprise visit to the Team Melli locker room to personally congratulate the players on their recent qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to IRNA, the President’s message was one of unwavering support and admiration for Iranian football. He emphasized the significance of their World Cup achievement, stating, “Congratulations on qualifying for the World Cup; it was not an easy task. You have made your country and your families proud, and you have also made Iranians abroad happy.”

Infantino expressed his personal fondness for the team, revealing, “I am a big fan of Iranian football. One of your players gave me his shirt in 2019, and I still have it. It is very valuable to me.”

He went on to highlight a iconic moment from the team’s recent history, recalling, “I still remember the Qatar World Cup. The Iran-Wales match was unbelievable. This is the feeling that football can give us; the whole stadium was happy at that moment.”

Addressing the immediate disappointment of the CAFA final loss, the FIFA President offered words of encouragement: “You played very well today, but in football, there are always wins and losses. You are a strong team and should be proud of yourselves.”

Looking ahead to the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Infantino provided a definitive assurance: “As the President of FIFA, I say welcome to the World Cup. I guarantee your presence.”

Concluding his address, Infantino reflected on the unifying power of the sport: “With the help of football, we want to unite the whole world. Unfortunately, the global situation is complex, but football can create this unity that politics often cannot. For the sake of your parents and your families, continue on this path so that you can bring joy to your people. I look forward to seeing you at the World Cup.”

Uzbekistan and Iran meet in the final of CAFA Nations Cup 2025

The national football teams of Iran and Uzbekistan will face each other in the final of the CAFA Nations Cup on Monday, September 7, at 6:00 PM local time at the Olympic Stadium in Tashkent. Both Iran and Uzbekistan entered the final with 7 points, finishing as the top teams in their respective groups and setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash.

Iran, the highest-ranked team in the region, will be looking to defend its title after winning the previous edition of the tournament. Uzbekistan, playing with the immense support of a home crowd, will be determined to claim the championship on their own soil and secure a historic victory against a regional powerhouse.

The match has garnered significant international attention, notably with the confirmed attendance of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The Uzbekistan Football Federation announced that President Infantino will travel to Uzbekistan to review projects related to the further development of football in the country, visit the state-of-the-art National Football Center, and personally watch the final match of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025. His presence as a special guest underscores the growing importance of Central Asian football on the global stage.

This final is not just about regional supremacy but also serves as crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the upcoming joint FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaigns, adding an extra layer of significance to the encounter.
Iran defeated Afghanistan 3-1, India 3-0, and drew with Tajikistan 2-2 to reach the final.
Uzbekistan drew with Oman 1-1, defeated Turkmenistan 2-1, and Kyrgyzstan 4-0 to reach the final.

‘It’s offensive’: voices from Iran as fans face 2026 World Cup travel ban

 

The Guardian
London.
After Donald Trump banned Iranians from entering the US, one of the co-hosts, there are different views on what should be done

“It’s offensive for any football fan to be prevented from participating in the World Cup, not just Iranians,” Ali Rezaei of Tehran’s Borna news agency says. In March, the national team became the second to qualify for the 2026 World Cup that will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. In June, Donald Trump authorised the dropping of bombs on Iran and hit the country with a travel ban. As things stand, while the national team will be able to enter the US next summer, fans – and perhaps media – will not.

Residents of Tehran and other cities may have had enough to deal with of late, but still, being barred from entry stings, even if Iranians have long found it difficult to get into the US. “If the US government has issues with the Iranian regime for any reason, it should not result in discrimination against Iranian citizens,” Behnam Jafarzadeh, a writer for the leading sports site Varzesh3, says. “If someone hasn’t committed any illegal activity, why should they be punished? It’s not just about the World Cup – the policy needs to change in general.”

What can Iran do? “Boycotting the World Cup is not a solution,” Siavash Pakdaman, a Tehran-based fan, says. “Refusing to play on US soil would be a dangerous precedent – any host country could start excluding teams it has issues with. Just as the Iranian delegation can and should be present at the United Nations in the US, the Iranian team should also play on American soil if the draw requires it – without relocation.”

There is a feeling that staying away would not make much difference anyway. “It would only deprive the national team of the opportunity to participate in a major tournament and would ultimately hurt Iran more,” Jafarzadeh says. “It might even be welcomed by some American officials. It could make headlines briefly, but once the tournament starts, it will be forgotten and will have achieved nothing.”

Questions have been asked – including in Iran, whose supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has long banned competing against Israeli athletes – about what the international reaction would have been if Qatar had banned citizens from certain nations from attending the 2022 World Cup.

“If the USA makes it difficult for football fans to attend, then changing the host country is necessary,” Rezaei says. “Doing so would harm the USA’s reputation, not the World Cup’s. If strict entry rules remain, we should focus on protecting football. This is supposed to be a celebration of sport.”

Jafarzadeh is not confident that the competition could be taken away from the busiest of the three hosts. “It is not a challenge Fifa and [its president Gianni] Infantino would want to take on.” Perhaps there is another way. “Fifa should use all of its influence to push for a suspension of this policy at least during the World Cup.”

Fifa may find it easier to place Iran in Canada or Mexico and hope that Iran don’t make it to the latter stages, when there would have to be a game in the US. “Playing in Mexico or Canada is not a real solution – it just ignores the actual problem,” Rezaei says.

Many expect it to happen anyway. “Canada has a large Iranian immigrant population, although some of them are opponents of the Iranian regime and the national team can’t count on their support,” Jafarzadeh says. “Mexico is probably a more attractive and less controversial destination for the team.”

That is another question. The Iranian-American community is more than a million strong yet many of these headed west before, or in response to, the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

“It seems that many Iranians who oppose the government consider the national team to be a representation of the regime – which I believe is wrong,” Pakdaman says. “And since a larger number of these opponents live in the US, the team may face pressure from the audience during the matches. Of course, I hope my analysis is wrong.”

Jafarzadeh, who went to the World Cups in Russia and Qatar and would love to go to the United States, says: “Some see the team as one that represents the regime, and this sentiment is even stronger among Iranians living abroad. Of course, the war with Israel has stirred feelings of patriotism among many Iranians, but I’m not sure if this will translate into support for the national team. We’ll have to wait and see how things unfold in the coming months.”

That there is time is perhaps a small reason for optimism that things could change. Iran is one of 19 countries subject to a full or partial US entry ban. Several of the others retain hope of qualifying for the first 48-team World Cup, including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Venezuela and Haiti.

“Considering that there is almost a year left until the 2026 World Cup, there is a possibility that the situation may stabilise,” says Isa Azimi, a columnist and translator, regarding Iran’s situation, though he is not confident. “Despite claims of separating politics from football, Fifa has shown that it is not particularly independent when facing major political powers.”

Especially when Infantino appears to prize his close relationship with President Trump. “If Fifa considers itself a global body independent of governments, it must stand up to such laws and not allow politics to contaminate the world of sports,” Pakdaman says. “Of course, we all know that, unfortunately, such contamination exists – especially when one side of the issue is a superpower that answers to no one. It is Fifa’s duty to treat all member countries equally, but will that actually happen?”

 

Mehdi Taj “FIFA still investigating Iran-Lebanon match incidents.”

The President of Iran’s football federation FFIRI Mehdi Taj said that the verdict on the controversial Iran-Lebanon match in Mashad in World Cup 2022 qualifiers is still under investigation by FIFA.

According to Taj, the case is still open with FIFA.

“Our case is in the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and the President of FIFA can only postpone it. He has no authority or influence beyond that,” Taj declared “the jurisdiction and the verdict is only in the hands of the Disciplinary Committee.”

Infantino helped Iran before the start of the FIFA World Cup 2022 to prevent what would have been a serious risk of Team Melli being sanctioned. After the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup, the serious violation committed by the government and security forces at and around Imam Reza Stadium will be addressed. The violations include preventing females from entering the stadium despite carrying official tickets, using undue force in doing so, and serious overcrowding and lack of safe practices and crowd control measures at entry and exits of the venue.

FIFA Disciplinary Committee must issue a ruling in this regard, which could be anything from depriving Team Melli of playing home games in Iran to heavy fines or both.

There could also be other ramifications for FFIRI as, despite the promises given to FIFA about females being allowed into stadiums, the hardliners and religious hierarchy are not happy with such a ruling and have defied FIFA and forced their own will on the subject matter. Suspension of Iran from FIFA and AFC is a possibility, though remote.

FIFA ignores calls for exclusion Iran from the World Cup.

The campaign to kick Iran out of the World Cup is still active and being pursued by various factions each looking at their own interests, however, it is pretty clear that FIFA has no interest in heeding this subject.

The Italian media, unashamedly are the flag bearers of this campaign hoping that their pathetic national team that did not qualify for the World Cup gets in from the backdoor. Iranian activists abroad are also chasing after FIFA due to the recent and ongoing brutal treatment of women and protesters in the country, the British have joined the party also claiming Iran is assisting the Russians by providing them with attack drones for use in bombing Kyiv in Ukraine. So, according to British twisted logic, Iran has to be thrown out of the World Cup while bombing Baghdad and killing thousands of civilians in the process was for the benefit of the Iraqis!

It remains to be seen if any other country will file a case against Iran’s participation in the FIFA World Cup perhaps due to the rising prices of pistachio, Oil, Gas, and Persian carpets!

The Iranian activist, who certainly have the right to campaign against the regime, are simply barking at the wrong tree. This  Team Melli is NOT a representative of the oppressive regime but a team that plays for the honor of the country regardless of who rules. The world is full of dictators and tyrants but you hardly hear that their national teams are banned or excluded from competitions except under exceptional conditions such as war and aggression against other countries. By sending letters to FIFA, the Iranian activist abroad would only make some noise nothing but.

While some Italian media had claimed that FIFA will decide on Iran’s exclusion from the World Cup in its meeting this week in New Zealand, there was no discussion about Iran’s football at Saturday’s meeting of the international body. To counter the Fake news, Marca newspaper said: “This morning’s meeting of the FIFA Supreme Council was held in Auckland, during which there was no discussion about the exclusion of the Iranian national football team from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”

Contrary to recent rumors and campaigns, the participation of Team Melli in the World Cup is a certainty. Iran is in Group B with England, Wales, and the USA with the first match scheduled for 21 November when Team Melli will open the campaign against England.

While Iran’s exclusion from the World Cup in the FIFA Counsel meeting was not even on the agenda, the hottest news from the meeting in Aukland was FIFA’s anger with broadcasters.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has criticized broadcasters for what he calls unacceptably low offers for rights to screen the Women’s World Cup next year

Hamid Estili “4 friendly matches are being finalized for Team Melli”

Hamid Estili, the Manager of Team Melli, talked about the latest plans of the Team and the preparation programs before participating in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar: “Our most important training camp will be held in June for two weeks. We have planned with Mr. Skocic to play four friendly matches in Qatar. Fortunately, we have a good relationship with Qataris and they have been quite helpful and responsive with us.”

Estili continued: “Mirshad Majedi (acting head of the Football Federation) is fluent in English and communicated well with Mr. Infantino, President of FIFA and the Qatar Federation. The manager of the national football team also referred to negotiations with other countries to play a friendly match on the sidelines of the World Cup draw and added: “We had fruitful talks with several FIFA memeber associations regarding playing friendly matches, unfortunately, we will not be able to play against the European countries in June because they are still involved in their domestic league and cup competition themselves,”

Estili also mentioned that talks for a friendly game against the USA were in advanced stages, but due to the draw which put Iran and USA in the same group, a friendly match is now out of question.put

FFIRI planning early qualification ceremony

While the Football fans in Iran are still awaiting the approval of the National Headquarters against Corona to attend Team Melli’s upcoming matches against Iraq and the UAE, The football federation is planning early qualification to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

the Iranian Football Federation has prepared so that it can hold the best possible ceremony with the presence of special guests. Shahabuddin Azizi Khadem, President of the FFIRI, who had two meetings with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, invited him to watch one of the matches of the Iranian national team on 27th January or 2nd February, which, according to the federation’s website, was agreed by FIFA President. Infantino has moved his headquarters to Doha to oversee the progress and preparation for the World Cup 2022.

The reduction in the number of deaths in the country due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus also raised the hopes of the Football Federation to get approval from the health authorities in the country allowing the attendance of fans in Azadi Stadium, even with limited numbers. It is alleged that the National Headquarters against Corona has verbally agreed to a 30% attendance at all football stadiums, but such instructions have not yet been transmitted t to the Ministry of Sports and then to the Football Federation. On the other hand, the coronavirus mutation called “omicron” has become a serious challenge for the presence of special guests. With 5 days left to play Iraq and 10 days to meet the UAE, Infantino has not yet officially responded to the Iranian Federation’s request to be in Tehran.

 

However, the public relations department of the Football Federation will continue monitoring developments in this issue until 24 hours before each game. Considering the possibility of Infantino’s imminent trip and the possibility of announcing his readiness, the possibility of the presence of male and female fans in the upcoming matches of the Iranian national team is not certain. Ali Azari Jahromi, the government spokesman, announced last Tuesday that a special meeting had been held between the president of the football federation, the Minister of Sports to prepare for the matches, however, with four days left, there is no sign of online sales of the tickets for the Iraq and UAE matches.

The Iranian national football team will host Iraq on the 27th of January at Azadi Stadium. The victory for Dragan Skucic’s team in each of these matches will result in the early Qualifications of Team Melli to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Memorandum of collaboration signed between Iran and Qatar

Iran and Qatar have signed a four-year football Memorandum of collaboration commencing before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The presidents of FFIRI Shehab Azizi Khadem and Sheikh Hamad bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, attended the signing ceremony earlier today (Thursday) in Doha.  According to the memorandum, the two federations will collaborate in holding friendly matches, exchange of training facilities as well as training camps at all levels of different age categories of their respective national football teams, including men and women. The long-term collaboration between the two sides, which will soon be implemented in various fields, is important due to the good relations between the two countries, ease of logistics and transportation, proximity, and cultural commonalities of the two countries.

With Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup, its state-of-the-art facilities and modern infrastructure will be available to National Iranian football teams in Qatar. In this meeting, Hamidreza Mehr Ali (acting vice president of the FFIRI), Rafiei (legal advisor to the president of FFIRI) and Dragan Skocic (head coach of the national team) accompanied Azizi Khadem. Also present at the meeting was FIFA’S Deputy Secretary-General Football, Mattias Grafström.   Last night on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the FIFA Arab Cup, Azizi Khadem had a meeting with Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, who is scheduled to travel to Iran in February 2022.

Azizi Khadem has traveled to Qatar at the official invitation of the President of the Qatar Football Federation. Qatar will host the Qatar FIFA World Cup in November 2022, and the Iranian national team is just one step away from qualifying for the tournament. With this contract, it can be hoped that the national team will take advantage of Qatar’s sports facilities to hold camps and friendly matches within a year of the tournament.