Iran asks FIFA to shift 2026 World Cup matches to Mexico

Iran’s football federation is discussing with FIFA about moving its 2026 World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico over player safety concerns, federation president Mehdi Taj said.

Taj said on Monday that Iran is seeking to relocate its group fixtures from U.S. venues to Mexico, citing security risks for the team. He posted the comments 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,” Taj said.

“We are negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s World Cup matches in Mexico.”

Iran’s sports minister said last week the team could not participate in football’s global showpiece after the United States and Israel launched air attacks on the country in late February, killing the supreme leader and several other political and military leaders. The claims could not be independently verified.

Trump has said the Iranian team is welcome to participate but suggested it might not be appropriate for them to play in the country for safety reasons.

Iran has qualified for the expanded 48-team tournament, to be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11. Iran is scheduled to play two group matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

They were the first Asian nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, securing their spot on March 25, 2025.

Details on whether FIFA or tournament organizers will approve any venue change were not immediately available.