Iran's football authorities are in discussions with FIFA about the possibility of staging their World Cup fixtures in Mexico rather than the United States, the Iranian football president Mehdi Taj said on Monday. The request comes amid safety concerns for Iranian players following recent joint air strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel.
The uncertainty over Iran's participation has grown since the strikes. U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters last week that Iran were welcome to take part in the tournament but indicated it might not be suitable for them to play on U.S. soil "for their own life and safety." In response, Taj posted on the Iranian embassy in Mexico's X account: "When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America. We are negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's World Cup matches in Mexico."
FIFA did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Logistical implications of a venue change
Iran clinched qualification for a fourth consecutive World Cup by finishing top of their group in the third round of Asian qualifying last year. Under the current schedule for the tournament, which is due to begin on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Iran are set to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. Their Group G opponents are Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand.
Organising committees for the Los Angeles and Seattle matches did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside normal U.S. business hours. Moving Iran's fixtures to Mexico would represent a major operational adjustment for the tournament - altering travel plans, stadium assignments, security deployments and related match-day logistics - although the article does not provide specifics on how such a transfer would be implemented.
The possibility of moving matches for security or geopolitical reasons is not without precedent. The piece notes UEFA's decision last September that resulted in Scotland playing a World Cup qualifying match against Belarus in Zalaegerszeg, near the Austrian and Slovenian borders, after a ruling tied to Belarus's role as a staging ground for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It also cites how strained political relations in cricket have led India and Pakistan to meet only at neutral venues in multi-team tournaments; India chose not to travel to Pakistan for last year's Champions Trophy and instead played all its matches in Dubai.
Decision point and wider consequences
The article states that if FIFA rejects a venue shift to Mexico, it appears unlikely Iran would travel to the United States to play while in conflict with one of the co-hosts. Iran's sports minister told reporters last week that it was not possible for the Iranian players to participate after the U.S. launched airstrikes alongside Israel against Tehran, killing the Islamic Republic's supreme leader. The article does not add further detail on the minister's exact words beyond that assertion.
An official withdrawal by Iran would be unprecedented in the modern era and would present FIFA with the immediate task of finding a replacement team for the tournament. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) said on Monday it had not received any notification that Iran would withdraw. AFC General Secretary Windsor John told reporters in Kuala Lumpur: "At the end of the day, it’s the federation who should decide if they’re playing, and as of today, the federation has told us that they are going to the World Cup." The article does not report any further steps taken by the AFC.
Context retained from official statements
- The federation's statement and Taj's comments appeared on the Iranian embassy in Mexico's X account.
- President Trump said Iran were welcome but questioned the appropriateness of them playing in the U.S. "for their own life and safety."
- FIFA and the organising committees in Los Angeles and Seattle had not provided an immediate response within the timeframe described.
The situation remains fluid and centers on a federation-level decision about whether Iran will travel and play on U.S. soil, or whether FIFA will approve a relocation of their matches to Mexico.