Mexico to host Iran’s World Cup team after US refusal, president says

Mexican President Claudia ​Sheinbaum said on Monday her government agreed to allow ‌the Iranian national football team to stay in Mexico during the World Cup, adding that the United States did not want ​to host the team.

Sheinbaum said football’s governing body FIFA ​approached her government after the U.S. said it ⁠did not want Iran’s squad to stay in the ​country throughout the tournament, despite Iran playing all three of ​its group matches there.

“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference.

The ​White House and the State Department did not immediately ​respond to a request for comment.

Mehdi Taj, head of Iran’s football federation, announced on Saturday that the team’s base will be relocated from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana for the duration of the tournament.

Taj added that the move would help avoid visa-related complications ​and that the ​squad would ⁠be able to travel directly to Mexico aboard Iran Air flights.

The Iranian team’s involvement in the June 11–July 19 tournament had been uncertain ever since the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran in late February.

Iran will play its first two Group G matches in Los ⁠Angeles against ​New Zealand on June 15 ​and Belgium on June 21, before facing Egypt in Seattle on June 26.