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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that Mexico has agreed to host the Iranian national soccer team during the World Cup. According to Sheinbaum, FIFA approached the Mexican government after the United States declined to allow the Iranian squad to stay on U.S. soil. Under this arrangement, the team will be based in Mexico despite playing all three of its group-stage matches in the United States.
“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference.
Mehdi Taj, head of Iran’s soccer federation, said Saturday the team’s base would be moved from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana during 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 participation in the June 11-July 19 tournament had been in question since the U.S. and Israel attacked 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.
