"When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America, said the president of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, in a post on the Iranian embassy in Mexico's X account. We are negotiating with Fifa to hold Iran's World Cup matches in Mexico."
"The prospect of shifting Iran's fixtures to Mexico would mark a significant logistical switch for the tournament, though relocating matches for security or geopolitical reasons is not unprecedented. In cricket, soured political relations between India and Pakistan meant they face each other only at neutral venues in multi-team tournaments."
Iran's football federation is negotiating with FIFA to relocate the country's 2026 World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico, citing security concerns for their players. This follows joint US-Israel airstrikes on Iran and Trump's statement that he cannot ensure the Iranian team's safety in America. Iran is scheduled to play group matches in Los Angeles and Seattle, facing Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. A potential US-Iran match in Dallas could occur if both teams advance. Relocating matches for security or geopolitical reasons has precedent in international sports, such as India-Pakistan cricket matches held at neutral venues. If FIFA rejects the venue change, Iran's participation in the tournament appears unlikely.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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