Iran “negotiating” with FIFA to move their World Cup matches
The country are due to play their three group games in America
Iran’s football federation has stated that it is holding talks with FIFA about relocating the team’s World Cup fixtures from the United States to Mexico, following comments from President Donald Trump regarding the squad’s safety.
In what is set to be Iran’s seventh time competing at a FIFA World Cup their participation is now in doubt after the US launched joint airstrikes at the country with Israel.
Following retaliation strikes from Iran, their sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said “under no circumstances” can the country compete at this summer’s tournament.
Trump responded to these comments emphatically, he said:
“The Iran national soccer team is welcome to the World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.”
All three of Iran’s group-stage fixtures are set to take place in the United States, with matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt scheduled to be played in Los Angeles and Seattle.
However, president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, has now claimed to be talking to FIFA as he requests the group-stage matches be moved to Mexico.
“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” said Taj, 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.“
The tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico is due to kick off on 11 June with the two nations scheduled to meet in the last 32 in Dallas if they finish as runners-up in their respective groups.
Moving Iran’s matches to Mexico would represent a major logistical change for the tournament, although relocating games for security or political reasons has happened before.
If FIFA were to reject a proposed move to Mexico, it appears highly unlikely that Iran would travel to the US to participate in the tournament, given the ongoing conflict with one of the host nations.
