Iran seeks to relocate 2026 World Cup matches from the US to Mexico

Iran’s Football Federation Enters Talks with FIFA to Relocate World Cup Matches

The Iranian national football team has entered discussions with FIFA regarding the relocation of their group matches from the United States to Mexico due to concerns over player safety. According to Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation, the decision was made following a statement by US President Donald Trump that he could not guarantee the security of the Iranian team.

Taj stated that the Iranian team will not travel to the United States due to the ongoing conflict between the US and Israel in Iran. The Iranian sports minister revealed that negotiations are underway with FIFA to hold the World Cup matches in Mexico instead.

The Iranian team qualified for the 48-team tournament, which is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 15 in the US, Canada, and Mexico. They were set to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. However, following the escalation of tensions between Iran and the US-Israel alliance, the Iranian team’s participation has been called into question.

FIFA has not commented on the matter, but it is reported that discussions are ongoing with the Iranian football federation regarding the relocation of their World Cup matches to Mexico.

Source: Al Jazeera