FIFA vows to settle Iran-Saudi dispute on match venues

The head of FIFA pledged to do his best to help resolve a dispute between Iran and Asian football’s governing body the AFC concerning the latter’s decisions in selecting the venue for Asian Champions League matches between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

 Speaking at a joint press conference held in the Iranian capital Tehran, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said diplomatic rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran should not affect global sports adding that issued with the venues for the matches are not “unsolvable”.

with the Iranian sports minister, Massoud Soltanifar, Infantino added that a two-year

“Neither politics nor football should intervene in each other. You can be sure that I will talk with whoever I can in this regard”, Infantino said.

“We will focus our efforts on entertaining the football masses, whether they were in Iran, Saudi Arabia or wherever in the world,” he added.

Read: Iran ready for ‘talks’ with Gulf neighbours

Saudi Arabia and Iran have been witnessing strained relations following Riyadh’s announcement on 3 January 2016 to cut ties with Iran after the Kingdom’s embassy in Tehran and consulate in the northern city of Mashhad were stormed by Iranian protestors. Tensions between the two countries were heightened when Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shia cleric.

Responding to the Saudi mission’s attack, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation later prohibited all Saudi clubs from playing against Iranian teams in Iran.

“The solution is always just to play home and away like in every competition in every country,” Infantino pointed out, adding: “Obviously the guarantees must be there, the safety must be there.”