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The US angle has made the story even more politically charged. Reuters reported that Donald Trump had made comments indicating that Iran’s attendance might not be safe, adding to the sense in Tehran that its team could not be properly protected on American soil. That fed directly into Mehdi Taj’s case for moving the fixtures. In a tournament built partly around the idea of North American unity and openness, the prospect of one of the qualified teams saying it cannot safely play in one of the host countries is a serious embarrassment for organisers, even if no formal change is ultimately made.
For Iran, the football implications are enormous. Qualification for the World Cup is one of the country’s few consistent sporting achievements on the global stage, and missing the finals would be a major national setback. If Iran withdrew, FIFA would face the problem of naming a replacement at short notice. Reuters said no formal notification of withdrawal had been received, but that possibility is already being discussed because of the worsening political climate. The idea of relocating matches to Mexico appears, at least for now, to be Tehran’s attempt to preserve participation without asking players and staff to travel into the US.
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