2026 World Cup: Iran asks FIFA to move its matches to Mexico

Rome, 17 March (LaPresse) – Iran is seeking to have its FIFA World Cup matches moved from the United States to Mexico. The Middle Eastern nation’s participation in this summer’s tournament in North America has been called into question after the United States and Israel launched air strikes against Iran, which then responded with attacks on US bases in other Gulf countries. Last week, US President Donald Trump stated that he did not consider Iran’s presence at the World Cup to be ‘appropriate’, ‘for their own lives and safety’. Now, the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, has stated that one of the solutions being considered is to move the team’s matches to Mexico, the country co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and the US. “Given that Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot guarantee the safety of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not be travelling to America,” Taj said in a statement published on the Iranian Embassy in Mexico’s X account. “We are currently negotiating with FIFA to ensure that Iran’s World Cup matches take place in Mexico.”