Los angeles: The United States will make history by hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches involving Iran, a nation it recently ceased hostilities with, following an agreement announced on Monday to conclude the conflict that had persisted since late February. According to Anadolu Agency, the arrangement marks an unprecedented occurrence in the history of the FIFA World Cup, with a host nation having been in active conflict with a participating country. The US, serving as a co-host alongside Canada and Mexico, had been engaged in military conflict with Iran, which is now preparing to compete in the global tournament. Initially, the Iranian team was to train in Arizona, but its facilities were moved to Mexico due to the ongoing tensions. Iran is set to compete against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, their first match in Group G. The group also includes Belgium and Egypt. The agreement to end the conflict mitigates potential security concerns that could have arisen during the tournament due to the pre vious hostilities. In previous instances, wars have led to the cancellation of World Cup tournaments, such as during World War II, but never has a situation arisen where a host and a participant nation were at war. Despite this, FIFA has rejected Iran's requests to relocate its matches to Mexico or Canada, insisting that the games proceed as planned in US cities. Iran had been seeking assurances from FIFA about its safety during the tournament, with Iranian officials arguing that security must be ensured according to FIFA's regulations. The Iranian Football Federation has also accused the US of obstructing the participation of Iranian fans by canceling their ticket allocations for the matches. FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed satisfaction with the resolution of the situation, emphasizing the spirit of football and the determination of the Iranian team to participate. Despite initial visa issues, the US eventually granted visas to key Iranian players and staff, although some administrative personne l were denied entry. The Iranian team is currently preparing in Tijuana, Mexico, and will travel to the US for their group-stage matches. Iran's participation, which marks its seventh World Cup appearance, comes after a ceasefire agreement and assurances of their safety during the event, which runs from June 11 to July 19.