Mexico says will host Iran during World Cup
MEXICO CITY: Mexico will allow Iran to be based in the country during the 2026 World Cup so its players can avoid US visa restrictions, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday (May 25). The Iranian national team, scheduled to play three first-stage matches in US stadiums, announced on Saturday that FIFA had endorsed its plan to stay overnight on the Mexican side of the border to avoid visa problems. Uncertainty has clouded the Iranian team's participation in the tournament ever since the US and Israel launched an offensive against the Islamic republic in late February. The team had originally planned to set up camp in Tucson, in the US state of Arizona. "The United States doesn't want the Iranian team to spend the night," Sheinbaum told reporters in her daily press conference.
