Iran seeks to move World Cup matches from US to Mexico

The Iranian Football Federation is in talks with FIFA about moving World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico. The reason is concern for the players’ safety, federation president Mehdi Taj said.

He was responding to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who invited Iran to the tournament but also suggested that its participation in the US might not be safe. Taj emphasised that if Washington cannot guarantee the team’s safety, Iran will not travel to the United States.

The tournament is set to begin on June 11 and will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico. Iran is scheduled to play two group-stage matches in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

However, Iran’s participation is also uncertain because of the ongoing conflict with the United States. The country’s sports minister recently stated that under current conditions the national team’s participation is not possible.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has not yet received official notification of Iran’s withdrawal from the tournament. According to its representatives, the organisation continues to state that it wants to compete in the World Cup.

(Reuters, EST)