Saed News: Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a political dispute between the United States and Mexico over how to host Iran’s national football team has turned into a new controversy in world football.
According to SAEDNEWS, with only two weeks remaining until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a political disagreement between the United States and Mexico over hosting Iran’s national team has become one of the most widely discussed topics in global sports and political media. The dispute has now gone beyond football and has turned into a diplomatic issue in North America.
The issue began when international media reported that U.S. officials had not approved the Iranian delegation’s long-term stay on American soil. This decision was met with a strong reaction from Mexican officials. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that her country has no problem hosting the Iranian national team and is ready to provide the team’s training camp in Tijuana.
According to Reuters, FIFA, after consultations with the Iranian Football Federation, has also approved the relocation of the national team’s camp from Arizona to Tijuana; a decision made due to security concerns, visa restrictions, and the political atmosphere surrounding relations between Tehran and Washington.
The issue became more controversial when U.S. President Donald Trump made controversial remarks, saying Iran’s participation in the tournament “might not be safe from a security perspective” and even at one point stated that he did not care whether Iran participates in the World Cup or not.
In response, media outlets such as El País questioned the U.S. approach. Some Spanish-language media described Washington’s actions as “discriminatory and immigration-based policies” against Iran and characterized Mexico’s decision as a form of resistance against U.S. political pressure.
While the United States is one of the three main hosts of the 2026 World Cup, the situation has now developed in a way that the Iranian national team is expected to be based in Mexico and travel only to Los Angeles and Seattle for its matches. This situation has drawn criticism toward the U.S. organizing committee, as many believe that a host nation should guarantee security and accommodation for all teams without political considerations.
Despite all controversies, Iran’s match schedule remains unchanged for now, and the national team will play its group stage matches on U.S. soil, although political tensions surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament appear to have already begun.
