April 13, 2026 | 05:45 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - With the World Cup just months away, FIFA has formally declined Iran's request to relocate their matches from the US to Mexico. The decision was attributed to logistical constraints, despite Iran's own football federation, FFIRI, having submitted the request directly last month.
“FIFA ultimately decided that the matches cannot be moved from their original venues. It would make logistics too complicated, and this decision was taken by FIFA,” said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
The request follows the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which sparked a broader and still-unfolding crisis across the globe. The tension took a more personal turn, however, when Trump himself weighed in on Iran's participation.
Last month, the US president stated that Iran's national soccer team was welcome at the World Cup, but that he could not guarantee their safety. "I really don't believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety," he said, as cited by Gulf News.
Iran’s football chief Mehdi Taj didn’t hold back in response, stating, “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America.”
With the request now turned down, Iran's matches at the FIFA World Cup 2026 are set to proceed as originally scheduled, following the fixtures announced on December 6, 2025. Iran had qualified for the tournament, but should the team choose to withdraw, the consequences would be significant, including fines, forfeiture of prize money, and a potential ban from future competitions.
Read: When is the FIFA World Cup 2026? Here's the Full Match Schedule
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