MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday her government agreed to allow the Iranian national soccer team to stay in Mexico during the World Cup, adding that the United States did not want to host the team.
Sheinbaum said soccer's governing body FIFA approached her government after the U.S. said it did not want Iran's squad to stay in the country throughout the tournament, despite Iran playing all three of its group matches there.
"We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico," Sheinbaum said during her daily press conference.
The White House and the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Iran said Saturday it would move its World Cup base camp from Tucson's Kino Sports Complex to Tijuana, Mexico.
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Kino Sports Complex hosts a sunset showdown as stadium lights rise over the pitch and players compete beneath a colorful desert sky in Tucson.
Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) president Mehdi Taj previously said that FIFA had approved his team's late request, though FIFA did not respond to a request for comment.
“All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved FIFA,†Taj said Saturday.
“Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in Tehran with the respected FIFA Secretary General, our request to change the team’s base from the United States to Mexico was approved.â€
Iran's World Cup status has been in doubt since the U.S. and Israel launched an armed conflict against the Middle East nation in late February, with the nations currently in an unsteady ceasefire.
"We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean ​and on the border between Mexico and the United States," ​Taj said in a â video posted on the FFIRI Telegram social media account.
On Saturday, May 16, a FIFA delegation led by secretary general Mattias Grafström met with FFIRI officials in Istanbul, Turkey.
Following that meeting, Taj expressed optimism that Iran would be able to participate in the World Cup.
“We had a positive and constructive meeting with FIFA," Taj said in a FIFA announcement. "We discussed our concerns and expressed our joint commitment to ensure the smooth participation of Team Melli at the FIFA World Cup. Iran will face Gambia in a pre-World Cup friendly in Antalya, Turkey, on May 29 before it is scheduled to head to North America for its pre-tournament camp.
Iran is scheduled to kick off its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. Team Melli will also take on Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle.
The U.S., Mexico and Canada will serve as co-hosts for the tournament, which will run from June 11 to July 19.
USA Today contributed to this story.
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