FIFA has rejected the Iranian national team's request to move its 2026 World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico. The international body considers such a move impossible.
Idman.Biz reports, citing "The Times," that although the president of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, stated some time ago that they were in negotiations to change the venue of the matches, this proposal was not seriously discussed at FIFA.
The main reasons for the decision are:
Ticket sales: A large portion of the tickets for the upcoming matches have already been sold.
Logistics: Changing the venue of the matches could negatively affect the schedules and preparation plans of other participating teams.
Organization: Changing the tournament schedule and venues is considered impossible to implement.
It should be noted that the 2026 World Cup will be jointly organized by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The Iranian side wanted the matches to be moved to a neighboring country, citing political tensions with the United States.
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The Iranian Football Federation is in negotiations with FIFA regarding the transfer of the national team's matches from the United States to Mexico within the framework of the 2026 World Cup.
Idman.Biz reports that the head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Tadji, wrote about this on his "X" account.
"US President Donald Trump has clearly stated that he cannot guarantee the safety of the Iranian national team. In this case, of course, we will not go to the United States. We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold the Iranian national team's World Cup matches in Mexico," he noted.
It should be noted that last week, Donald Trump emphasized that the Iranian team should not go to the tournament "for the sake of their lives and safety." The final stage of the 2026 World Cup will be held in June-July and will be organized in 11 cities in the USA, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.