Invest in America Forum
CNBC-hosted economic forum in Washington where Infantino publicly declared Iran 'for sure' for the 2026 World Cup.
Last refreshed: 19 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for Invest in America Forum
Mentioned in: Pakistan ceasefire runs to 22 April
2026 FIFA World CupInfantino tells CNBC Iran 'for sure'
2026 FIFA World CupMentioned in: FIFA executives push ICE moratorium ask
2026 FIFA World CupBackground
The Invest in America Forum is a CNBC-hosted economic policy event series held in Washington DC, focusing on US economic competitiveness and investment flows. On 15 April 2026, the forum hosted FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who told CNBC's Sara Eisen that Iran would attend the 2026 World Cup 'for sure', citing WTO projections of $80.1bn in gross output, $30.5bn inside the US, and 200,000 permanent American jobs.
The forum's economic framing gave Infantino a platform to position the World Cup primarily as an American economic event, subordinating the human rights and immigration enforcement controversies to an investment narrative. His repetition of 'sports should be outside of politics' at an explicitly political-economic event was noted by observers.
What is the Invest in America Forum?
What did Infantino say at the Invest in America Forum about Iran and the World Cup?
Why did Gianni Infantino speak at an economic forum about the World Cup?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 19 April 2026. Editorial standards.