The Iranian ambassador and embassy in Mexico City announced that Iran was negotiating with FIFA to move its three group-stage World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico. The request follows statements by US President Donald Trump discouraging Iran from attending the 48-nation tournament, citing safety concerns.
FIFA responded the same day with a statement saying it was in regular contact with all participating member associations, including Iran, and was looking forward to all teams competing as per the match schedule announced on December 6, 2025. The governing body did not indicate any changes to venue assignments were under consideration.
Mexican President Leaves the Decision to FIFA
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was asked about the reported negotiations during her daily Tuesday briefing. Her response was measured. She acknowledged that Iran was discussing with FIFA whether a venue change was feasible, noting that the matches had been assigned to the United States.
She added that Mexico has relations with all countries in the world and said her government would announce any developments when the time came. The statement did not constitute an endorsement of the request. It described a situation where Mexico was being proposed as an alternative host while FIFA held decision-making authority.
Mexico co-hosts the 2026 tournament alongside the United States and Canada. Any venue reassignment within the co-host structure would require agreement across all three countries and FIFA, not simply Mexico's openness to the idea.
An Unprecedented Request
Reassigning group-stage matches between co-host countries after the schedule has been fixed has no precedent in World Cup history. The 2026 schedule was formally announced in December 2025 following a logistics process covering stadium capacities, broadcast windows, team travel distances, and ticketing allocations. Changing even one fixture displaces a chain of dependent decisions.
Iran's matches were assigned to US venues where ticketing, accommodation, and accreditation processes are already underway for those specific dates. Moving three matches to Mexican venues at approximately 100 days' notice would require reopening ticketing, reassigning broadcast infrastructure, and renegotiating commercial arrangements tied to the US host city assignments.
FIFA's public position, that the schedule stands and all teams are expected to compete, is consistent with its historical approach to political complications. The organisation has consistently resisted allowing bilateral disputes to alter match assignments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What did Iran request regarding its 2026 World Cup matches?
A: The Iranian ambassador and embassy in Mexico City announced that Iran was negotiating with FIFA to move its three group-stage matches from US venues to Mexico. The request followed statements by US President Donald Trump discouraging Iran's participation in the tournament on safety grounds.
Q: How did FIFA respond to Iran's venue request?
A: FIFA issued a statement saying it was in regular contact with all participating member associations, including Iran, and was looking forward to all teams competing per the match schedule announced on December 6, 2025. FIFA did not indicate any venue changes were planned.
Q: What did Mexican President Sheinbaum say about the request?
A: Sheinbaum acknowledged during her Tuesday briefing that Iran was discussing with FIFA whether a venue change was feasible. She noted Mexico has relations with all countries and said her government would announce developments when they materialised. Her statement did not formally endorse the request.
Q: Why would moving Iran's matches be logistically complex?
A: The 2026 match schedule was announced in December 2025 after a process involving stadium capacities, broadcast windows, team travel distances, and ticketing allocations. Moving three group-stage matches to Mexican venues at approximately 100 days' notice would require reopening ticketing, reassigning press and broadcast infrastructure, and renegotiating commercial arrangements tied to the specific US host cities.
Q: Is Mexico a co-host of the 2026 World Cup alongside the United States?
A: Yes. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Mexico's venues include Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. The opening match between Mexico and South Africa is scheduled for June 11 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
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