Claudia Sheinbaum, president of Mexico, confirmed on Monday that Mexico has offered itself as a host after FIFA apparently approached the nation following a US rejection of Iran’s request to stay in the USA between matches. Iran will play their three Group G games in America.
“We have no reason to refuse to let them stay in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said in her daily press conference.
Iran’s opening match against New Zealand will be in Los Angeles, before a second game against Belgium in Los Angeles and a third meeting with Egypt in Seattle. They will be based in the Mexican city of Tijuana near the American border and will commute into the USA on match days only.
Mehdi Taj, the president of the Football Federation of Iran, stated the decision was “primarily because there will be fewer complications with visas and it also gives Iran Air direct access to Mexico”. FIFA subsequently confirmed.
Earlier in the year, mounting political tensions between Iran and the United States cast doubt over the team’s qualification, but FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently reiterated that Iran would feature in the finals.
Iran qualified for their fourth consecutive World Cup finals as they finished at the head of their Asian qualifying group last year.
