Mexico to host Iran's World Cup team after US refusal, president says

Iran FA chief says the move would help avoid visa-related complications and the squad would be able to travel directly to Mexico

Football - Iran players and staff in Ankara for VISA procedures ahead of the World Cup - Ankara, Turkey - May 21, 2026 Iran's Ali Alipour and staff arrive at the Canada embassy for VISA procedures ahead of the World Cup REUTERS/Efekan Akyuz

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday her government agreed to allow the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico during the World Cup, adding that the United States did not want to host the team.

Sheinbaum said football's governing body FIFA approached her government after the US said it did not want Iran's squad to stay in the country throughout the tournament, despite Iran playing all three of its group matches there.

"We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico," Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference.

The White House and the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mehdi Taj, head of Iran's football federation, said on Saturday the team's base would be moved from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana during the tournament.

Taj added that the move would help avoid visa-related complications and that the squad would be able to travel directly to Mexico aboard Iran Air flights.

The Iranian team's participation in the Jun 11-Jul 19 tournament had been in question since the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February.

Iran will play its first two Group G matches in Los Angeles against New Zealand on Jun 15 and Belgium on Jun 21, before facing Egypt in Seattle on Jun 26.