Iran’s national football federation is in talks with FIFA about shifting its 2026 World Cup group matches from the United States to Mexico, citing concerns related to the ongoing US–Israel conflict involving Iran.
Iran’s football federation is negotiating with FIFA to move its 2026 World Cup matches from the United States to co-host Mexico over player safety concerns, Iranian football president Mehdi Taj stated.
Taj said on Monday via a post on the Iranian embassy in Mexico’s X account: “When [US President Donald] 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,” officials said.
The Iranian sports minister noted last week that the team could not safely participate in football’s global tournament after US and Israeli air strikes in late February killed the country’s supreme leader along with several political and military figures.
While former US President Donald Trump welcomed Iran’s participation, he warned that it might be unsafe for the team to play in the United States “for their own life and safety.”
Iran, which qualified for the 48-team tournament taking place in the US, Canada, and Mexico from June 11, is scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle. They became the first Asian nation to secure a spot in the World Cup on March 25, 2025.
The conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran began with coordinated US–Israeli airstrikes on Iran on 28 February 2026 and, as of mid‑March, is now in its third week.
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