Iranian officials announced this week that President Donald Trump is discussing the possibility of relocating the Iranian soccer team’s World Cup matches away from the United States.
Mehdi Taj, the President of the Iranian Football Federation, stated that the team is seeking to shift their games to Mexico due to safety concerns. However, rescheduling so close to the tournament’s start date is quite unusual.
“If President Trump doesn’t ensure the safety of the Iranian national team, then we will definitely not go to the United States,” Taj mentioned. “We are in talks with FIFA about hosting Iran’s matches at the World Cup in Mexico.”
The question of Iran’s participation in the World Cup has lingered since late last month, following airstrikes by the United States and Israel against Iran.
On March 11, Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali declared that the country “cannot participate in the World Cup under any circumstances” in light of U.S. actions in the region. Yet, after Trump commented on March 12 that it might not be safe for the team to be present, Iran’s stance seems to have shifted.
Interestingly, the national soccer team responded on social media, asserting that “no one can exclude” them from competing in the World Cup.
As of now, Iran is set to play their first three matches in the tournament on U.S. soil, starting with a game against New Zealand on June 16 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. Their subsequent match is against Belgium on June 21 at the same location, followed by a game against Egypt on June 26 at Lumen Field in Seattle.
A FIFA spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that they are engaged in discussions with Iran and other nations to “evaluate plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” while also expressing hope that all teams will compete according to the announced schedule set for December 6, 2025.
