As the United States and Israel continue their war against Iran, national soccer federations want to move group matches to Mexico.
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Published March 17, 2026
The Iranian Football Federation is in talks with FIFA about moving 2026 World Cup matches from the United States to tournament co-host Mexico due to concerns for player safety, Iranian Football President Mehdi Taj said.
“If (U.S. President Donald Trump) makes it clear that he cannot ensure the safety of the Iranian national team, we will definitely not travel to the United States,” Taj said in a post on the Iranian embassy on his Mexican X account on Monday.
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“We are in negotiations with FIFA to host Iran’s World Cup matches in Mexico.”
Iran’s sports minister said last week that Iranian players were unable to take part in soccer’s global show after the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on the country in late February, killing the supreme leader and several other political and military leaders.
President Trump said he welcomed Iran’s participation, but suggested it might not be appropriate for the country to play “for their own lives and safety.”
Iran has qualified for the 48-team tournament to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico starting June 11, and will play two group games in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.
They became the first Asian team to qualify for the World Cup, qualifying on March 25, 2025.
The war between the United States and Israel against Iran began on February 28, 2026, and is currently in its third week.
