MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican president claudia sheinbaum On Monday, she said she had “no problems” with her country. Host Iran’s World Cup Team After the training base is established, moved from the US to Mexico For the summer soccer tournament.
According to the Iranian Football Federation, the team will continue to play games in the United States, but its home base has been moved to Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego, California. The background of the development is war in iranlaunched by the United States and Israel on February 28th.
Sheinbaum said at a press conference Monday that he had been told by FIFA representatives that the United States was reluctant to allow the Iranian soccer team to spend time outside of games on U.S. territory.
“The United States does not want the Iranian national team to stay in the United States overnight,” Sheinbaum told reporters. She said a FIFA representative then asked, “Can they stay in Mexico overnight?”
“And we said, ‘Yes, no problem. We’re fine with that,'” she said.
Iran’s soccer team is scheduled to play New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on June 15, followed by Belgium six days later, and then Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Before the outbreak of war, the team was originally scheduled to be based in Tucson, Arizona. But amid rising tensions, the Iranian team moved its base to Tijuana, Mexico, Sheinbaum said, confirming the Iranian federation’s announcement over the weekend. The federation announced that the Iranians had received approval from FIFA, which has not confirmed the move.
Teams use the base camp to train before and after games. This year’s World Cup will be held from June 11th to July 19th and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
of The possibility of relocation was smoldering Months of uncertainty surrounding Middle East wars and security concerns. US sanctions against Iran are expected to only further complicate the team’s stay in the US.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement Monday that the president: donald trump He made it clear that the Iranian team is welcome to participate in the tournament.
The ministry’s statement did not say where the team would remain or comment on Sheinbaum.
Scheinbaum said the government was working with FIFA to clarify all details before the tournament.
