Iran to boycott US but will play at World Cup, says football chief
Iran will “boycott the United States” but will still participate in this year’s FIFA World Cup 2026, according to Mehdi Taj.In a video released by Iranian press agency Fars on Wednesday, Taj said: “We will be preparing for the World Cup. We will boycott the United States but not the World Cup.”Iran is scheduled to play its group-stage matches in the US, part of the tournament hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The country’s football federation has reportedly discussed with FIFA the possibility of relocating its matches, though the global governing body has so far kept the schedule unchanged.Claudia Sheinbaum stated on Tuesday that Mexico is ready to host Iran’s first-round matches if required due to the conflict in the Middle East. She added: “Mexico m...










