Iran, US coaches vow to kick politics out of FIFA World Cup 2022 despite geopolitical rivalry

Geopolitical rival Iran and the United States were drawn in Group B for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which is set to take place this November.

The coaches of both the Iranian and American teams have vowed to put aside all political hostilities when their sides meet in the biggest global football event later this year.

During Qatar’s glittery draw event held over the weekend, both countries found themselves in the same group. The ‘Persian Leopards’ were drawn in Group B along with England and the US.

Iran and the United States severed formal diplomatic relations in 1980. The bitter geopolitical rivals have not met at the major sporting event since the 1998 World Cup, when the Iranian team won 2-1 against its American counterpart in a politically charged game.

“Football transcends a lot of the political stuff and we are able to remain friends on the pitch,” said Gregg Berhalter, coach of the US team.

Similar views were echoed by Iran’s Croatian coach, Dragan Skocic.

“I don’t care about this. Of course there is a story, but we are focused on the playing,” Skocic said, adding that he hopes that “football makes a good contact and good relationship between people and that is what people expect of sport.”

However, Ali Vaez, Crisis Group’s Iran Project Director said a team is looking into the potential outcome of the game in Qatar later this year.

“A US interagency working group has been set up in advance of the Iran game to determine if their offence can be deterred, the scope of follow-on negotiations in the event of a draw, and whether exchanging jerseys violates sanctions,” Vaez wrote.

During the last World Cup in Russia four years ago, the US failed to qualify while Iran only got as far as the group stages.

England are also in Group B and Gareth Southgate’s side may come up against neighbours Wales or Scotland. Ukraine, currently facing a brutal Russian invasion, could also take the last spot in the European play-offs, though that is to be decided in June.

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