- the Mexican leader said there was no justification for refusing the request
- Officials from the White House and the US State Department have not issued any response to the development
- Iran remains scheduled to compete in the tournament
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said her government has agreed to accommodate the Iranian national football team during the upcoming FIFA World Cup after the United States declined to host the squad.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that Sheinbaum explained that world football governing body FIFA approached Mexico following the US decision not to allow the Iranian team to remain in the country for the duration of the tournament, even though all of Iran’s group stage matches are scheduled to be played on US soil.
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Speaking during her regular press conference on Monday, the Mexican leader said there was no justification for refusing the request, adding that Mexico was prepared to provide a safe base for the team throughout the competition.
Officials from the White House and the US State Department have not issued any response to the development at the time of reporting.
The president of the Iranian football federation, Mehdi Taj, had earlier confirmed that the team’s base camp would be moved from Arizona to Tijuana, a border city in Mexico, in order to ease logistical and visa related challenges during the tournament.
He also noted that the arrangement would allow the squad to travel directly from Mexico using Iran Air flights, reducing travel complications during the competition period.
The issue surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament arose amid rising diplomatic tensions following military actions involving the United States and Israel earlier in the year, which had raised uncertainty over the team’s arrangements.
Despite these concerns, Iran remains scheduled to compete in the tournament, with Group G fixtures set against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Football officials say the relocation of the team’s base to Mexico is intended to ensure smoother logistics while maintaining full participation in the tournament.
