Trump and Infantino talked about the World Cup: "Peace for the sake of peace" for Russia?

As is known, the 2026 World Cup will be held for the first time in history in three countries - the USA, Mexico and Canada. The tournament format has also been updated, with a total of 104 matches.

According to information from BBC Sport, a number of important issues were discussed during the meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US President Donald Trump. Among them, the possibility of Russia participating in the championship was mentioned.

78 matches to be held in the USA

According to the agreement between FIFA and US officials, 78 of the 104 matches will be held in US stadiums. This means that the country will be the main host of the tournament. The US supports this factor in terms of football infrastructure and the number of fans.

Trump: “Russia’s incentive is conditional on stopping the war”

In his speech, Trump specifically addressed the issue of the war between Russia and Ukraine:

“Since I came to power for the second time, I have been working to stop the war. If Russia stops the conflict, participation in the World Cup will serve as an incentive for them. Otherwise, we will see five thousand young people losing their lives every week,” Trump said.

His statement caused mixed reactions in the international community.

Infantino: “There is hope for peace through football”

FIFA President Infantino, on the other hand, expressed a cautious and hopeful attitude towards the situation:

“Russia is currently deprived of the right to participate in competitions. But we hope that peace will be established in the near future and they will return to the world of football. Then they will be able to participate in the World Cup,” he stressed.

Russia banned from FIFA tournaments since 2022

As a reminder, Russian national teams and clubs have been banned from international football competitions since 2022. This decision was made as a result of sanctions imposed by FIFA and UEFA.

The Zamin.uz editorial team is closely following the political and sports issues surrounding the 2026 championship. The realization of the ideas of peace, harmony and unity through football will be a great achievement for all of humanity.

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