Iran’s national soccer team will stay in Mexico during the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the U.S. decided not to host the team for the duration of the tournament.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday that FIFA contacted Mexico after U.S. officials reportedly said they did not want Iran’s team staying in the country during the tournament, even though all three of Iran’s group-stage matches are scheduled to be played in the United States.
“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said during a press conference.
Iran is set to play the New Zealand national football team in Los Angeles on June 15, the Belgium national football team in Los Angeles on June 21, and the Egypt national football team in Seattle on June 26.
READ: Fans may spend $60,000 on average at FIFA World Cup 2026, study suggests (May 22, 2026)
Mehdi Taj, head of Iran’s football federation, said the team’s training base will be moved from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana during the tournament. FIFA later confirmed the change.
The White House and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump said Iran would still be allowed to compete in the World Cup, but added that it might not be safe for the team to remain in the U.S. throughout the event.
Taj also said moving the team’s base to Mexico would help avoid possible visa issues and allow easier travel through direct Iran Air flights to Mexico.
READ: ‘You pay more for a hot dog’: FIFA chief defends 2026 World Cup ticket prices (May 8, 2026)
Questions surrounding Iran’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup have persisted for months. Concerns intensified in late February after the United States joined Israel in military strikes against Iran, triggering a conflict that raised doubts about whether Tehran would send its national team to play in one of the tournament’s host countries.
In March, Taj said Iran had discussed the possibility of moving its group-stage matches to Mexico because of safety concerns. Sheinbaum also said at the time that Mexico would be open to hosting the team. However, FIFA decided to keep the original match schedule unchanged.
The situation also sparked speculation about whether Iran would remain in the tournament at all. In April, Paolo Zampolli, an envoy for global partnerships under Trump, suggested that the Italy national football team should replace Iran in the World Cup. The suggestion was quickly dismissed by Italian officials and FIFA.