Iran will “boycott the United States, but not the World Cup,” the president of the country’s football federation said Wednesday, in quotes reported by Iran’s Fars news agency.
Iran’s participation at the finals, which are being co-hosted this summer by the U.S., Mexico and Canada, has been cast into doubt after the United States and Israel launched air strikes on the country at the end of February.
Iran are due to play all three of their group matches in the U.S., but the country’s football federation chief, Mehdi Taj, said Wednesday: “We will be preparing for the World Cup. We will boycott the United States, but we will not boycott the World Cup.”
That followed on from quotes attributed to Taj posted on the X account of the Iranian embassy in Mexico on Tuesday, in which he said they were “negotiating” with FIFA to move Iran’s matches to Mexico.
“When [President Donald] Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” the statement said. “We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”
In a statement on Tuesday, FIFA said it is “in regular contact with all participating member associations, including [the Islamic Republic of] Iran, to discuss planning for the FIFA World Cup 2026. FIFA is looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on Dec. 6, 2025.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino publicly addressed the Middle East conflict for the first time following the conclusion of a FIFA council meeting Thursday.
“FIFA is looking forward to all teams participating at the FIFA World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect.
“We have a schedule,” he added. “We will soon have the 48 competing teams confirmed and we want the FIFA World Cup to go ahead as scheduled.”
Even if Iran’s group games were moved, there would still be an issue with subsequent knockout matches. If Iran and the U.S. finish second in their groups, for example, the sides will meet at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on July 3.
Moving the games would be unprecedented less than three months before the start of the World Cup.
Trump said last week it would not be “appropriate” for Iran to play at the World Cup “for their life and safety.”
Asked Tuesday if Mexico was open to hosting the matches, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum told a news conference: “Yes. Mexico maintains diplomatic relations with every country in the world, therefore we will wait to see what FIFA decides.”
The Fars news agency also quoted Taj as saying Wednesday that Iran intends to press ahead with friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica in Türkiye later this month.–ESPN
