Iran’s participation in the FIFA World Cup has been in the news since the start of its conflict with America. Initially, Donald Trump was not very welcoming to the idea of Iran playing on American soil, and now, when he has shown some leniency, Iran is not completely aligned with the idea of playing matches in America amidst the ongoing political issues. As a result, things look quite complex regarding Iran’s making it to the FIFA World Cup.
According to the Daily Mail, Iran’s embassy in Mexico has issued a statement declaring that it wants all its matches to be played in Mexico rather than in the USA. Mehdi Taj, the head of the Iranian Football Federation, has declared that their team cannot play in America, with Donald Trump himself refusing to provide any security assurance to the Iranian Football team. He added that they are negotiating with Mexico and FIFA to have their matches played in Mexico.
In a statement, Mehdi Taj said, “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America. We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.” With things getting more complex, it is unclear whether Iran can convince FIFA to allow them to play on Mexican soil.
Trump refuses to guarantee security forces as Iran seeks neutral ground amid political tensions
It seems like Iran’s request to play in Mexico is not a spontaneous act but rather a safety precaution after listening to Donald Trump’s statement. The president previously welcomed them to play, but in his invitation, he declared that America is not responsible for their security, which has made them hesitate to come. The Iranian Sports Minister, on the other hand, previously stated that, given the ongoing tensions, it’s a real challenge for the team to come to play in the USA.
Later, the President of FIFA, Infantino, after meeting with Donald Trump, declared that things were getting better, citing Trump’s decision to allow Iran to play in the FIFA World Cup. But with the latest response from Trump, things do not look as promising as Infantino seemed to portray because the conflict between Iran and the American president still lingers.
Iran, standing at a crossroads between boycotting the tournament or having its matches moved to Mexico, may soon decide whether it will be at the World Cup. Despite strong statements from Iran’s Sports Minister, the Iranian Football Federation has not given its final verdict.
Published: Mar 17, 2026 01:15 pm