FIFA’s emblem is seen in entrance of its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland. Picture for illustration
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Iran’s soccer federation is “negotiating” with FIFA to relocate the nation’s first-round matches on the World Cup to Mexico from the USA, citing the battle in West Asia, Iran’s embassy in Mexico mentioned on Monday (March 16, 2026).
Iran’s participation at this summer time’s finals in the USA, Canada and Mexico has been thrown into doubt for the reason that battle started late final month.
“When (U.S. President Donald) Trump has explicitly said that he can’t make sure the safety of the Iranian nationwide group, we will definitely not journey to America,” Iranian soccer chief Mehdi Taj mentioned in remarks posted on the embassy’s X account.
“We’re at the moment negotiating with FIFA to carry Iran’s matches within the World Cup in Mexico.”
Iran are scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, adopted by Egypt in Seattle.
The group’s base camp for the event is at the moment slated to be positioned in Tucson, Arizona.
Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, on Monday denounced “the US authorities’s lack of cooperation relating to visa issuance and the availability of logistical assist” for the Iranian delegation forward of the World Cup, in a press release revealed on the embassy’s web site.
He added that he had additionally “urged to FIFA that Iran’s matches be moved from the USA to Mexico.”
FIFA didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from AFP.
Donald Trump triggered uproar final week after stating that whereas Iran’s soccer group can be “welcome” in the USA, they need to not journey to the event “for their very own life and security.”
Trump’s feedback got here after FIFA president Gianni Infantino had given assurances that Trump had promised him that the Iranian group can be welcome.
Iran hit again at Trump’s feedback saying “nobody can exclude Iran’s nationwide group from the World Cup.”
Iran’s place on the event was thrown into query after the USA and Israel launched a large offensive towards the Islamic Republic, which responded with waves of missiles and drones concentrating on Israeli territory and American targets throughout West Asia.
Printed – March 17, 2026 09:50 am IST