Iran has withdrawn their threat to boycott the FIFA World Cup 2026, but remained adamant with their demand not to play matches in the USA amid the ongoing West Asia conflict. Iran’s football chief Mehdi Taj said that the team is going ahead with its preparations for the upcoming tournament, even if they won’t travel to America for their matches.
Iran was one of the first teams to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, which will run from June 11 to July 19 and is being staged in the US, Mexico and Canada. Team Melli’s participation has been in doubt ever since the conflict with the USA started in late February. Taj was present to welcome the Iranian women’s team back home after their journey from Australia and said that the men’s team will hold a training camp in Turkey and play two friendlies there.
“The national team is holding a training camp in Turkey, and we will also play two friendly matches there,” FFIRI President Taj was quoted as saying by the Fars News Agency on Wednesday.
“We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup.”
The latest statement from Taj comes days after the sports minister, Ahmad Donyamali, said that Iran won’t participate in the World Cup after the assassination of the Islamic Republic leader Ali Khamenei.
IRAN’S REQUEST FOR A VENUE CHANGE
Iran’s demand for a change in venue of matches comes amidst the ongoing conflict and after Donald Trump’s statement that the men’s team should skip playing their matches in the US for their own safety. Taj has used the statements from Trump to ask for a venue change for the matches of Team Melli.
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said on March 17 that Iran are free to play their matches in the country, but stressed that final decision was in the hands of FIFA. Iran are scheduled to play Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in June in the US.
FIFA said that they have been in touch with FFRI but said that they want all participating teams to stick by the original schedule.
