Mexico Agrees to Host Iranian Football Team During World Cup

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her government has agreed to host the Iranian national football team during the World Cup. This decision follows the United States’ refusal to accommodate the team. FIFA, the organization governing international football, reached out to Mexico after the U.S. expressed its decision not to allow Iran’s squad to stay in the country during the tournament, despite Iran’s scheduled matches in the U.S.

“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum stated at her regular press conference.

The U.S. White House and State Department have not issued comments on this development.

On Saturday, Mehdi Taj, who leads Iran’s football federation, revealed that the team’s base camp would be relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, a city situated near the Mexican border. Taj mentioned that this move aims to circumvent visa issues and that the team would fly directly to Mexico using Iran Air flights.

The Iranian team had faced uncertainties about its participation in the June 11 to July 19 tournament because of tensions following U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran in February. The team is set to play its initial Group G matches in Los Angeles against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before meeting Egypt in Seattle on June 26.