Iran national football team will take part in the 2026 World Cup but do not plan to play matches in the United States, according to football chief Mehdi Taj.
Iran have already qualified for the tournament, which will be held in the USA, Mexico and Canada. However, tensions between Iran and the United States have created uncertainty about their participation.
Iran are currently scheduled to play all their group matches in the USA. But the country’s football federation is in talks with FIFA to move those games to Mexico instead.
Taj said the team will not withdraw from the World Cup but will refuse to travel to the United States.
Meanwhile, Iran are preparing for the tournament with a training camp in Turkey and will play friendly matches there. Their upcoming games have already been moved due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
Mexico has said it would be willing to host Iran’s matches, but FIFA has not confirmed any changes and expects teams to follow the current schedule.
Officials have also stressed that FIFA must ensure the safety of all players and fans during the tournament.
