By Gloria Ogbonna
The Iran men’s national football team will reportedly base itself in Mexico during the 2026 FIFA World Cup after U.S. authorities declined to host the team inside the United States ahead of its scheduled tournament matches.
The unusual arrangement comes amid ongoing political tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, as well as heightened security concerns surrounding international travel and sporting events.
On Monday, Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that FIFA officials had approached Mexico about accommodating the Iranian national team after Washington decided against allowing the squad to remain in the United States during the tournament.
Speaking during her daily press briefing, Sheinbaum said Mexico saw no reason to reject the request.
“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” she stated.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is scheduled to take place from June 11 through July 19. The tournament is expected to draw millions of fans from around the world and will be one of the largest sporting events ever held across North America.
Iran is scheduled to compete in Group G and will play its first three matches in American cities despite being based in Mexico. The team’s opening match will take place on June 15 in Los Angeles against New Zealand national football team.
Iran will then remain in Los Angeles for its second group-stage game against Belgium national football team on June 21 before traveling to Seattle for its final Group G match against Egypt national football team on June 26.
According to reports, the Iranian squad will operate out of Tijuana, a Mexican border city located just south of California. Officials believe the location will allow the team to travel quickly to the United States for matches while avoiding potential visa and security complications associated with staying full-time inside the country.
Mehdi Taj, who heads Iran’s football federation, reportedly supports the arrangement and believes it will help simplify transportation logistics for players and staff. Taj noted that staying in Tijuana would allow for direct flights and easier movement across the border while minimizing administrative difficulties.
Iran’s participation in the World Cup has drawn international attention for months due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Earlier this year, shortly after U.S. and Israeli military operations targeting Iranian nuclear infrastructure intensified, Donald Trump addressed questions surrounding the Iranian team’s involvement in the tournament.
Trump said at the time that Iran would still be allowed to compete in the World Cup, but he questioned whether hosting the team inside the United States was the best decision given concerns over the “life and safety” of the players amid escalating regional tensions.
Debate over Iran’s participation even sparked speculation about possible replacements for the team.
In April, Paolo Zampolli reportedly floated the idea of replacing Iran with Italy national football team. However, the proposal was quickly dismissed by both FIFA officials and members of the Italian soccer community, who viewed the suggestion as unrealistic and inconsistent with tournament qualification rules.
Despite the controversy, Iran officially secured its place in the tournament through qualification and is set to make its fourth consecutive World Cup appearance, further cementing its position as one of Asia’s strongest football nations in recent years.
The decision to base the Iranian squad in Mexico highlights the complicated intersection of international sports and global politics, especially as the 2026 World Cup approaches amid ongoing diplomatic tensions and security concerns across several regions of the world.
Source Breitbart