Iran’s national football team has relocated its 2026 FIFA World Cup training base from the United States to Mexico after FIFA approved a request from the country’s football federation.
Iran Football Federation President, Mehdi Taj, said the team will now be based in Tijuana, a border city in Mexico, instead of Tucson, Arizona, although FIFA is yet to officially confirm the change.
He explained that the relocation followed ongoing security concerns linked to tensions in the Middle East, as well as uncertainties surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Taj said the approval came after meetings with World Cup officials in Istanbul and discussions with FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom.
“We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States,” he said.
He added that the new base would ease travel to Iran’s group-stage matches, noting that flights from Tijuana to Los Angeles take about 55 minutes, compared to longer travel times from Tucson.
Iran are scheduled to play New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The team is currently training in Antalya, Turkey, while several players have reportedly visited the U.S. embassy in Ankara for visa processing ahead of the tournament.
Earlier, Taj said Iranian players were still awaiting visa approvals.
The federation had also submitted conditions to FIFA, including clearance for players, coaches, and officials who previously served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Iranian players would be allowed entry for the tournament, although individuals linked to the IRGC may face restrictions.
