The president of the Iranian football federation, Mehdi Taj, announced on Saturday that the team's World Cup training base has been relocated from the United States to Mexico, following approval from FIFA. The decision was disclosed in a statement issued by the federation's media relations official, though FIFA has yet to confirm the move.
Iran had originally planned to train in Tucson, Arizona, but concerns over the war in the Middle East and security issues prompted a change. Officials at Tucson's Kino Sports Complex declined to comment. The team will now be based in Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, runs from 11 June to 19 July.
Taj stated that all base camps must be approved by FIFA, and after requests and meetings in Istanbul and a webinar with FIFA's secretary general, the change was approved. Iran will play Group G matches in Los Angeles against New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, followed by a game against Egypt in Seattle on 26 June. This marks their fourth consecutive World Cup appearance and seventh overall, though they have never advanced past the first round.
The federation noted that moving the base camp will resolve potential visa issues, as the team will enter the US via Mexico. Taj added that the team may even use Iran Air flights for travel to and from Mexico. In March, following joint US-Israel airstrikes on Iran, FIFA was reportedly unwilling to relocate matches, and Donald Trump warned of risks to Iranian players' safety in the US. However, at last month's FIFA congress in Vancouver, president Gianni Infantino confirmed Iran would play in the US as scheduled, emphasising unity.
