Iran negotiating with FIFA to move World Cup 2026 matches from the US to Mexico

Iran football team (Pic: File)

Iran's embassy in Mexico stated on Monday (March 16, 2026) that Iran's football association is "negotiating" with FIFA to move the nation's World Cup first-round matches from the United States to Mexico due to the conflict in West Asia.

According to Iranian football president Mehdi Taj, the country's football federation is in talks with FIFA, considering shifting its World Cup 2026 fixtures from the United States to Mexico, the tournament's co-host, because of player safety concerns.

"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 on Monday in a post on the Iranian embassy in ⁠Mexico's X account.

"We are negotiating ⁠with FIFA to hold Iran's World Cup matches in Mexico."

After the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, killing the country's supreme leader and numerous other political and military figures, the Iranian sports minister announced last week that the country's players will not be competing at the FIFA World Cup to be held in the USA.

Earlier, Trump had said the Iranian team is welcome to participate, but suggested it might not be appropriate for them to play in the country "for their own life and ⁠safety".

Iran looking to move their World Cup matches from the US to Mexico

Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, criticised "the US government's lack of cooperation regarding visa issuance and the provision of logistical support" for the Iranian delegation prior to the World Cup in a statement posted on the embassy's website on Monday.

Additionally, he stated that he had "suggested to FIFA that Iran's matches be moved from the United States to Mexico."

Last week, Donald Trump caused a stir when he said that although Iran's football team would be "welcome" in the US, they shouldn't go to the competition "for their own life and safety."

Trump's comments came after FIFA president Gianni Infantino had given assurances that Trump had promised him that the Iranian team would be welcome.
"No one can exclude Iran's national team from the World Cup," Iran said in response to Trump's remarks.