Iran's Sports Minister: World Cup Participation Conditional on US-Mexico Match Relocation
The Iranian government has linked its national team's participation in the 2026 World Cup to receiving an official response from FIFA regarding its request to change the host country for Iran's matches.
The Iranian Football Federation announced last March that it had initiated discussions with FIFA to change the venue for Iran's World Cup matches. This comes as the Iranian Ministry of Sports issued a directive prohibiting national teams and clubs from traveling to countries it deems hostile.
Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donya Mali clarified in an interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency: "Our request submitted to FIFA to relocate Iran's matches from the United States to Mexico is still pending, but we have not yet received a response."
He added: "If the request is accepted, Iran's participation in the World Cup will be confirmed. As the Minister of Sports, and in cooperation with the Iranian Football Federation, we will ensure the national team's readiness. The final decision will be made by the Council of Ministers."
Notably, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed a week ago that Iran would play its World Cup matches according to the scheduled timetable, without any indication of relocating them from the United States to Mexico.
