FIFA’s chief operating officer, Heimo Schirgi, has confirmed that the upcoming World Cup, set to begin on June 11, 2026, in Dallas, will proceed as planned despite ongoing global tensions, particularly related to the conflict involving the U.S. and Israel against Iran. Speaking on Monday at the International Broadcast Center, Schirgi stated that the tournament is “too big” to be postponed.
FIFA is closely monitoring the situation in Iran and its implications. Schirgi emphasized that the organization is collaborating with federal and international partners to assess the developments, stressing, “We take it day by day, and at some stage we will have a resolution.” He firmly believes that the World Cup will continue as scheduled, aiming for full participation from all qualified teams.
The tournament has expanded from 32 to 48 teams and will take place across 11 venues in the U.S., along with three in Mexico and two in Canada. Notably, the Trump administration has implemented a travel ban affecting four qualified nations: Iran, Ivory Coast, Haiti, and Senegal. However, it has indicated that exceptions will be made for players, team officials, and their immediate family members.
FIFA maintains open lines of communication with Iran’s soccer federation, although Schirgi chose not to disclose specific details from those discussions. The FIFA officials were in Dallas not only to discuss the tournament but also to unveil plans for a fan festival that will run for 34 days during the event. They also inspected the construction of the broadcast hub located at the downtown convention center, approximately 32 kilometers from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where nine matches will occur.
Reflecting on the significance of the event, Schirgi remarked, “Given the state of the world today, this will be a great opportunity to bring everyone together.” He highlighted the World Cup’s unique ability to unite diverse cultures, stating that the event is “truly global” and has historically fostered international camaraderie, as seen in Qatar and Russia.
In a related development, Schirgi addressed FIFA’s recent decision to introduce an additional 48-hour window for ticket sales, which had drawn criticism due to high prices. The top-tier category one tickets are priced at up to $8,680, while category two and three tickets reach $5,575 and $4,185 respectively. For the first round, these prices range from $2,735 for category one to $1,120 for category three.
“This was basically giving an opportunity to fans who have applied and were not successful for tickets in their category,” Schirgi explained. To address affordability concerns, FIFA announced in December that it would allocate several hundred tickets priced at $60 for each match to the national federations participating in the tournament, aimed at making the event accessible to dedicated fans.
