Iran’s national soccer team is diligently preparing for the upcoming World Cup finals and remains committed to participating in the tournament, even if they do not travel to the United States. Soccer chief Mehdi Taj confirmed this stance on Wednesday. Iran secured a spot in the finals early on, but uncertainties arose due to the escalating tensions between the Islamic Republic and the United States since late February.
The World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Despite initially planning to play all three of their opening-round group matches in the U.S., Iran is now in negotiations with FIFA to relocate these matches to Mexico. Team Melli will face Nigeria on March 27 and Costa Rica four days later in Antalya as part of a four-nation invitational tournament that had to be moved from Jordan due to the Middle East conflict.
In a statement to the media, FFIRI President Taj emphasized that the national team is currently in a training camp in Turkey and will also engage in two friendly matches there. He confirmed that while they will avoid playing in America, they have no intention of withdrawing from the World Cup.
Recently, the women’s national team returned to Iran from Australia, where they were participating in the Women’s Asian Cup. Following concerns for their safety in Iran, the host nation offered asylum to the entire delegation. Although seven members accepted, only two ultimately chose to stay.
President Donald Trump had encouraged Australia to provide asylum to the players, expressing concerns about their safety in Iran. Taj referenced Trump’s statements to advocate for moving the venue of the World Cup matches. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed the country’s willingness to host Iran’s matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in June, pending FIFA’s approval.
FIFA has been in communication with FFIRI regarding the situation and reiterated their commitment to the match schedule announced in December 2025. Beau Busch, the Asia-Pacific president of FIFPRO, stressed FIFA’s responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants at the World Cup. He emphasized the need for a thorough human rights impact assessment to identify and address any potential risks effectively.