Key keywords: 2026 FIFA World Cup, Iran national football team, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Mexico World Cup host, FIFA sports neutrality, Iran World Cup participation, cross-border sports diplomacy, World Cup visa policy During his regular morning press conference on October 17, 2024, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) addressed growing questions about whether Mexico would restrict Iran’s national men’s football team from entering the country for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Mexico is co-hosting alongside the United States and Canada. “There is no issue at all with hosting Iran’s team,” AMLO stated clearly, adding that Mexico adheres to the longstanding global principle of separating sports from political disputes, and will welcome all teams that qualify for the tournament under FIFA’s official rules. The president’s remarks came in response to mounting calls from some Western political advocacy groups and politicians to bar Iran from the 2026 World Cup over disagreements with the Iranian government’s domestic policies. AMLO emphasized that as a host nation, Mexico’s core responsibility is to provide a safe, fair and inclusive environment for all participating athletes, regardless of geopolitical tensions between third-party countries. “We do not use sports as a weapon to punish athletes or fans who have no involvement in government-level disagreements,” he noted. Shortly after AMLO’s press conference, the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a complementary statement confirming that all FIFA-qualified teams, their coaching staff, official delegations and registered ticket holders will qualify for the standard World Cup temporary visa program, with no extra screening or restrictions applied to individuals from any specific country. FIFA officials later praised Mexico’s stance, noting that the FIFA charter explicitly prohibits host nations from denying entry to eligible teams for political reasons, and that all 2026 World Cup qualification decisions fall exclusively under the jurisdiction of FIFA’s governing council. The announcement has eased widespread concerns from Iran’s national football federation, which had previously raised fears that one or more of the three host nations might block the team from participating. Sports policy analysts note that Mexico’s commitment to neutrality sets a clear precedent for the U.S. and Canada, which have not yet released official statements on whether they will allow Iran’s team to enter their territories for matches scheduled in their host cities. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first edition to feature 48 teams, will kick off in June 2026, with 21 matches hosted across 10 Mexican cities including Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara.