Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that her government has agreed to allow the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico during the 2026 World Cup, following the United States' refusal to host the squad. Sheinbaum stated that football's governing body, FIFA, approached her government after the US indicated it did not want Iran's team to remain in the country for the tournament, despite Iran playing all three of its group matches on American soil.
No Reason to Deny
“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City. The decision comes amid heightened tensions following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28, which resulted in thousands of casualties before a fragile ceasefire was agreed in early April. The peace talks have been protracted, focusing on Iran's closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear ambitions.
Visa and Travel Arrangements
Mehdi Taj, head of Iran's football federation, confirmed on Saturday that the team's base camp would be relocated from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana. Taj explained that the move would simplify visa procedures and allow the squad to travel directly to Mexico via Iran Air flights. The Iranian team's participation in the World Cup, scheduled from June 11 to July 19, had been uncertain since the attacks in late February.
Iran is set to play its first two Group G matches in Los Angeles: against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The White House and the State Department have not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.
