Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced on Monday that her government has agreed to allow the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico during the World Cup, following the United States’ refusal to host the squad. Sheinbaum stated that FIFA approached her government after the US declined to accommodate Iran’s team for the tournament, despite Iran playing all three of its group matches on American soil.
No Reason to Deny
“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference at the National Palace in Mexico City. The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, resulting in thousands of casualties before a fragile ceasefire was reached in early April amid ongoing peace talks concerning Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear ambitions.
US Response and Logistics
The White House and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Mehdi Taj, head of Iran’s football federation, confirmed on Saturday that the team’s base would be relocated from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana during the tournament. Taj explained that this move would help avoid visa-related complications and allow the squad to travel directly to Mexico aboard Iran Air flights. The Iranian team’s participation in the 11 June to 19 July tournament had been uncertain since the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February.
Group Stage Matches
Iran is set to play its first two Group G matches in Los Angeles against New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, before facing Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
