Iran Seeks to Move World Cup Games Out of U.S. Over Security Concerns

Iran's football federation is in talks with FIFA to hold matches in Mexico instead of the U.S.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 1:57pm

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Iran's sports minister Mehdi Taj said the country is in negotiations with FIFA to move its 2026 World Cup matches out of the United States and into Mexico, citing security concerns after President Trump said he could not ensure the safety of the Iranian national team in the U.S.

Why it matters

The potential relocation of Iran's World Cup games highlights the ongoing tensions between Iran and the U.S. government, which have escalated in recent weeks. This could disrupt the global sporting event and create logistical challenges for FIFA and the participating teams.

The details

Iran is currently scheduled to play two matches in Inglewood, California and one in Seattle from June 15-26 as part of the 2026 World Cup. However, Taj said that 'when [President Trump] has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America.' Taj added that Iran is 'currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's matches in the World Cup in Mexico' instead.

  • Iran is scheduled to play two matches in Inglewood, California and one in Seattle from June 15-26, 2026.
  • Mehdi Taj made the announcement about moving the games on March 17, 2026.

The players

Mehdi Taj

The president of the Iranian Football Federation.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who said he could not ensure the security of the Iranian national team in the U.S.

Gianni Infantino

The president of FIFA, who said he recently spoke with Trump and that Trump assured him the Iranian team could travel to the U.S. if it was safe to do so.

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What they’re saying

“When [President Trump] has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America.”

— Mehdi Taj, President of the Iranian Football Federation

“We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever.”

— Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA

What’s next

FIFA will ultimately decide Iran's World Cup fate, and the federation's head Gianni Infantino has said he recently spoke with Trump, who he said assured him the Iranian team could travel to the U.S. to play matches if it was safe to do so.

The takeaway

The potential relocation of Iran's World Cup games from the U.S. to Mexico highlights the ongoing political tensions between the two countries, which could disrupt the global sporting event and create logistical challenges for FIFA and the participating teams.