Iran’s football federation president, Mehdi Taj, has stated that the country will “boycott the United States” but not the 2026 World Cup, amid escalating political tensions. The remarks were made in a video released by the Iranian press agency Fars, as Iran is scheduled to play group matches in the United States this summer.
Taj confirmed that Iran would continue preparations for the tournament, saying, “We will be preparing for the World Cup. We will boycott the United States but not the World Cup.” The Iranian football federation has initiated discussions with FIFA about potentially relocating the team’s matches from the US to Mexico, though FIFA has maintained that the tournament schedule remains unchanged.
Mexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has indicated that Mexico is prepared to host Iran’s first-round matches if required, citing the conflict in the Middle East. “Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with every country in the world, therefore we will wait to see what FIFA decides,” she said when asked about the possibility.
Iran’s participation has been in doubt since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran last month, with US President Donald Trump warning that the safety of Iranian players would be at risk if they travelled to the tournament. Iran are scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle. A potential last-32 match against the United States in Dallas could occur if both teams finish as runners-up in their groups.
A source told the Guardian that the US and Iran appear to be engaged in brinkmanship, each trying to create conditions forcing a withdrawal that can be blamed on the opponent, leaving FIFA caught in the middle.
