Tehran, March 19: Iran has retracted its threat to boycott the FIFA World Cup 2026. However, it remains firm on its demand not to play matches in the United States. Mehdi Taj, the head of Iran’s football federation, stated that the team will continue its preparations for the tournament, even if the men’s team does not play its matches in the U.S.
The World Cup is scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Following ongoing disputes with the U.S. at the end of February, uncertainty arose regarding the safety of the Iranian team and the venues for their matches. Consequently, Iran has declined to play its proposed matches in the U.S. Notably, Iran is among the first teams to qualify for the World Cup.
According to the Fars News Agency, Mehdi Taj mentioned, “The national team will hold a training camp in Turkey and play two friendly matches there. We will boycott the U.S., but not the World Cup.”
Taj’s statement follows comments from Iran’s sports minister, Ahmad Doonyamali, who indicated that Iran would not participate in the World Cup. The Iranian men’s team is set to play matches against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand in the U.S. in June.
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum commented on Iran’s boycott of World Cup matches in the U.S., stating that the final decision rests with FIFA. FIFA has also confirmed that it is in contact with the Iranian Football Federation and hopes all teams will participate in the tournament as scheduled.
Iran’s decision stems from ongoing attacks from Israel and the U.S., as well as concerns over unwarranted military actions. It remains to be seen whether FIFA will relocate Iran’s World Cup matches to another venue.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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