Iran gamers gamers pose for a workforce group picture at an AFC Qualifiers match towards UAE at Azadi Sports activities Complicated, Tehran, Iran on March 20, 2025. — Reuters
MEXICO CITY: 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 within the Center East, mentioned Iran’s embassy in Mexico.
Iran’s participation at this summer season’s finals within the US, Canada and Mexico has been thrown into doubt because the battle started late final month.
“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,” Iranian soccer chief Mehdi Taj mentioned in remarks posted on the embassy’s X account.
“We are currently negotiating with Fifa to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”
Iran are scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, adopted by Egypt in Seattle.
The workforce’s base camp for the event is at present slated to be situated in Tucson, Arizona.
Abolfazl Pasandideh, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, on Monday denounced “the US government’s lack of cooperation regarding visa issuance and the provision of logistical support” 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 “suggested to Fifa that Iran’s matches be moved from the United States to Mexico.”
Fifa didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from AFP.
Trump triggered uproar final week after stating that whereas Iran’s soccer workforce can be “welcome” within the US, they need to not journey to the event “for their own life and safety.”
Trump’s feedback got here after Fifa president Gianni Infantino had given assurances that Trump had promised him that the Iranian workforce can be welcome.
Iran hit again at Trump’s feedback saying “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup.”
Iran’s place on the event was thrown into query after the USA and Israel launched an enormous offensive towards the Islamic Republic, which responded with waves of missiles and drones focusing on Israeli territory and American targets throughout the Center East.
