Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday that her administration has approved Iran’s national football team staying in Mexico for the World Cup, adding that the United States did not want the squad based there during the competition.
Key takeaways
- Sheinbaum confirmed Mexico will allow Iran’s national team to remain in the country throughout the tournament.
- She said FIFA raised the proposal with her government after the U.S. expressed reluctance to host the Iranian squad.
- Iran’s federation chief previously indicated the team’s base would shift from Arizona to Tijuana.
- Iran’s World Cup schedule begins with Group G matches in Los Angeles on June 15 and June 21.
- The team is set to play Egypt in Seattle on June 26 after its first two fixtures.
Mexico agrees after U.S. concerns and FIFA involvement
Sheinbaum said her government’s decision followed contact from football’s world governing body, FIFA, after the United States signaled it did not want Iran’s squad to stay in its host territory for the duration of the tournament—even though Iran played all three of its group-stage matches there.
Speaking during her regular daily press briefing, Sheinbaum said there was no justification for Mexico to refuse the request.
“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” she said.
Officials in Washington, including the White House and the State Department, did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment.
Base relocation to Tijuana and tournament context
Mehdi Taj, the president of Iran’s football federation, said earlier on Saturday that the team’s training base would be moved from Arizona to Tijuana, a border city in Mexico, for the tournament.
Taj added that the relocation was expected to reduce the risk of visa-related complications and would allow the squad to reach Mexico directly on flights operated by Iran Air.
Iran’s entry into the June 11 to July 19 tournament had been uncertain since the United States and Israel carried out attacks on Iran in late February.
On the pitch, Iran is scheduled to begin its Group G campaign with two matches in Los Angeles: against New Zealand on June 15 and against Belgium on June 21. The team will then take on Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
