Trending Now - Iran in Talks With FIFA Over World Cup 2026 Venue Changes

WHO:

Iran’s football federation

Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian football federation

U.S. President Trump

Ahmad Donyamali, Iranian sports minister

Windsor John, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

WHAT:

Iran is negotiating with FIFA to move its World Cup 2026 matches from the United States to Mexico.

Iran qualified for the World Cup on March 25, 2025.

Iran is scheduled to play three group matches: against New Zealand on June 16, 2026, in Inglewood, California; against Belgium on June 21, 2026; and against Egypt on June 27, 2026, in Seattle.

The World Cup 2026 will be held from June 11, 2026, in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Iran is ranked No. 20 in the world by FIFA.

WHERE:

Matches are scheduled to take place in the United States and Mexico.

Inglewood, California, and Seattle, Washington, are specific match locations.

The AFC is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

FIFA's annual congress will be held in Vancouver, Canada, on April 30, 2026.

WHEN:

The US-Israel war on Iran started on February 28, 2026.

The Iranian sports minister made comments about player participation last week (week of March 10, 2026).

The Iranian football federation was unable to attend meetings in Atlanta last week (week of March 10, 2026).

WHY:

Concerns about the safety of players due to the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.

Mehdi Taj stated that Trump explicitly said he could not ensure the security of the Iranian national team.

HOW:

Iran is in discussions with FIFA regarding the relocation of its matches.

The Iranian national football team expressed their desire to participate in the World Cup via social media, stating "no one can exclude" them from playing.

(UPDATED March 17, 2026 11:19 UTC)

Iran is currently negotiating with FIFA to move its World Cup 2026 matches from the United States to Mexico due to safety concerns stemming from the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. President Trump reportedly told Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj that he could not guarantee the security of the Iranian national team, which has prompted these discussions. The Iranian national team, ranked No. 20 in the world, qualified for the tournament and is scheduled to play three group matches, but they are determined to ensure their participation despite the challenges.