US Politics
Fifa president Gianni Infantino responds to Iran’s request to move World Cup games from United States
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Fifa president Gianni Infantino has appeared to rule out the possibility of relocating Iran’s matches at the World Cup 2026 to Mexico following the US and Israeli strikes on the country.
Iran will refuse to play their scheduled group matches at the tournament in the United States, with the president of the Iranian football federation, Mehdi Taj, claiming that Iran was “negotiating” with Fifa to move their games to co-hosts Mexico.
Iran are scheduled to play all three of its group matches at the World Cup in the US, kicking off against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, but US president Donald Trump said it would not be “appropriate” for them to do so “for their own life and safety”.
Without naming Iran, Infantino echoed Fifa’s stated position of “all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced” following the World Cup draw in December.
“Fifa can’t solve geopolitical conflicts, but we are committed to using the power of football and the World Cup to build bridges and promote peace as our thoughts are with those who are suffering as a consequence of the ongoing wars,” Infantino said.
“Fifa is looking forward to all teams participating at the to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect. We have a schedule. We will soon have the 48 competing teams confirmed, and we want the World Cup to go ahead as scheduled.”
A Fifa spokesperson said earlier this week: “Fifa is in regular contact with all participating member associations, including IR Iran, to discuss planning for the World Cup 2026.”
This is despite the president of the Iranian football federation confirming that Iran will refuse to play their scheduled games in the US. “When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” Taj said in a post on the Iranian embassy in Mexico’s X account.
Iran are scheduled to play two World Cup games in Los Angeles and another in Seattle. They will face New Zealand and Belgium in LA on 15 June and 21 June, followed by the match against Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.