1 week ago
The president of nan Iranian shot federation said Saturday nan team’s World Cup training guidelines has been moved to Mexico from nan United States aft getting support from Fifa.
Mehdi Taj, president of nan Iran Football Federation, announced nan determination Saturday successful a connection issued by nan federation’s media relations official. FIFA has not confirmed nan move.
Iran had been scheduled to train successful Tucson, Arizona, but a move has been a anticipation because of uncertainty surrounding nan warfare successful nan Middle East and information concerns. Officials astatine Tucson’s Kino Sports Complex had nary remark erstwhile asked by nan Associated Press.
The federation says nan squad will now beryllium based successful Tijuana, Mexico, conscionable southbound of San Diego. This year’s World Cup runs from 11 June to 19 July and is being co-hosted by nan US, Canada and Mexico.
“All squad guidelines camps for nan countries participating successful nan World Cup must beryllium approved [by] FIFA,” Taj said successful his statement. “Fortunately, pursuing nan requests we submitted and nan meetings we held pinch Fifa and World Cup officials successful Istanbul, arsenic good arsenic nan webinar gathering we had yesterday successful Tehran pinch nan respected Fifa caput general, our petition to alteration nan team’s guidelines from nan United States to Mexico was approved.”
Iran play Group G games successful Los Angeles against New Zealand connected 15 June and Belgium connected 21 June, past faces Egypt connected 26 June 26 successful Seattle. They are appearing successful their 4th consecutive World Cup and seventh overall, though they person ne'er precocious past nan first round.
The federation said moving nan guidelines campy will resoluteness imaginable visa issues since nan squad will participate nan US done Mexico. Taj said that nan squad “may moreover beryllium capable to recreation to and from Mexico utilizing Iran Air flights”.
It was reported successful March, aft nan US and Israel began associated airstrikes connected Iran, that Fifa was unwilling to move nan team’s World Cup matches to Mexico. Donald Trump said astatine that clip that nan “life and safety” of Iran’s players could beryllium astatine consequence if they recreation to nan US.
At past month’s Fifa legislature successful Vancouver, president Gianni Infantino said Iran would play their World Cup games successful nan US arsenic scheduled.
“Let maine commencement astatine nan outset by confirming consecutive away, for those who possibly want to opportunity thing other aliases constitute thing else, that of people Iran will beryllium participating astatine nan Fifa World Cup 2026,” he said then. “And of course, Iran will play successful nan United States of America. The logic for that is simple, because we person to unite. We person to bring group together.”
