The Iran national football team is set to clash with the Nigeria national football team in an international friendly on March 27 as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The match will take place in Antalya, Turkey, within a four-nation invitational tournament that also includes the Costa Rica national football team.
Originally scheduled to be held in Jordan, the tournament was relocated due to rising tensions in the Middle East, highlighting the challenges surrounding Iran’s World Cup build-up.
President of the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran, Mehdi Taj, confirmed that preparations for the tournament scheduled from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Mexico, and Canada are ongoing.
However, he reiterated Iran’s firm stance against playing matches in the United States, citing security concerns and political tensions.
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Despite this position, Iran has ruled out withdrawing from the tournament entirely. Instead, officials are currently in discussions with FIFA to have their group-stage matches moved to Mexico.
FIFA has yet to approve the request, maintaining that all teams are expected to follow the official match schedule.
Iran, which secured early qualification for the expanded 48-team competition, has been drawn alongside the Belgium national football team, Egypt national football team, and New Zealand national football team.
Their fixtures are currently slated for U.S. host cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle, adding further uncertainty to their participation plans.
The situation is further complicated by ongoing geopolitical tensions involving the United States and its allies, raising concerns over player safety. Meanwhile, the global players’ union, FIFPRO, has urged FIFA to prioritize safety and uphold human rights standards for all participants.
“We will boycott America, but we will not boycott the World Cup,” Taj stated, adding that the team will continue its training camp in Turkey and play additional friendly matches ahead of the tournament.
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