Iran asks FIFA to move World Cup matches to Mexico from US

Iran’s football federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving ​their World Cup matches to Mexico from the United States.

The federation cited concerns about the safety of their players, amidst the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.

Iran’s participation in the World Cup was thrown into doubt after co-hosts the United States launched joint air strikes at the country along with Israel.

United States President Donald Trump said last week that Iran were welcome to participate but suggested it might not be appropriate for ​them to play in the U.S. “for their own life and safety”.

Iranian football ‌president Mehdi Taj, in a statement on Monday, said: “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 has yet to speak on the development as of the time of this report.

Iran secured a trip to a fourth successive ​World Cup by topping their group in the third round of Asian qualifying last year.

2026 World Cup: Chukwuemeka switches allegiance from England to Austria

The tournament is due to kick off on June 11 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with Iran scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand are Iran’s opponents in ​Group G.

The prospect of shifting Iran’s fixtures to Mexico would mark a significant logistical switch for the tournament, though relocating matches for security ‌or geopolitical ⁠reasons is not unprecedented.

In September 2025, Scotland secured a 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Belarus at Zalaegerszeg near the Austrian and Slovenian borders, after a ruling by UEFA over the role of Belarus as a staging ground for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Star