The Iranian football federation has announced that its World Cup training base has been relocated from the United States to Mexico, following approval from FIFA. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, confirmed the decision on Saturday, stating that the team will now be based in Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego.
Iran had originally been scheduled to train in Tucson, Arizona, but concerns over the war in the Middle East and security issues prompted the switch. Officials at Tucson’s Kino Sports Complex declined to comment when approached by the Associated Press. The federation cited potential visa issues as a factor, noting that moving the base to Mexico would allow the team to enter the US from there.
Iran will play their Group G matches in Los Angeles against New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, followed by a match against Egypt on 26 June in Seattle. The team is appearing in their fourth consecutive World Cup and seventh overall, though they have never advanced past the first round.
FIFA has not officially confirmed the move, but Taj stated that the request was approved after meetings with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul and a webinar with the FIFA secretary general. In March, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had insisted that Iran would play their games in the US as scheduled, emphasising the unifying role of football.
