WORLD CUP: Iran Moves Base From The United States To Mexico

WORLD CUP: Iran Moves Base From The United States To Mexico

Iran will relocate its World Cup training facility to Mexico after FIFA approved a request to relocate it from Tucson, Arizona, the head of Iran’s football organization announced on Saturday.

The Iranian squad will now be stationed in Tijuana, on the border between Mexico and the United States, for the event.

This is according to federation president Mehdi Taj in a video released by the Fars news agency.

“Fortunately, thanks to the meetings we had with FIFA officials… our request to change countries from the United States to Mexico, due to problems encountered in obtaining visas, was accepted by FIFA,” Taj said.

🎥 رئیس فدراسیون فوتبال: کمپ تیم ملی به مکزیک منتقل شد. با این اتفاق مشکلات روادید حل می‌شود. pic.twitter.com/6HEe8xakxy— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) May 23, 2026

“We will therefore be based in Tijuana, near the Pacific Ocean. It is a city that lies between Mexico and the US, but it is located in Mexico. We have actually completed the team building there,” Taj added.

Taj stated that the move would help to avoid visa issues and that the squad could fly directly to Mexico with Iran Air.

Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been in question for months because it is being co-hosted by the United States.

Iran will base its World Cup squad in Mexico after FIFA approved a request to move the training camp from Arizona, citing visa concerns https://t.co/c3LVS3xm4P pic.twitter.com/JIfAeKJmgT— Reuters (@Reuters) May 23, 2026

The U.S., along with Israel, began bombing Iran on February 28, sparking a wider war in the Middle East.

Iran has been drawn in Group G and will play their first two matches in Los Angeles.

They open their campaign against New Zealand on June 15 and will then face Belgium on June 21 before rounding off their group games against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Taj said that Tijuana was closer to the cities where Iran will play than the camp in Arizona would have been.

“The distance for us in the two games that we have in LA will be a 55-minute flight. Which is a lot less compared to Tucson,” the federation president said.

The Iran team is currently preparing in Antalya, southern Turkey, and some of the squad went to the US embassy in Ankara on Thursday to submit visa applications for the World Cup.

Visa Uncertainty

The Iranian football federation’s vice-president, Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, said on Tuesday that the federation was unsure if US visas would be granted to all of the team and accompanying officials.

“We’re not certain yet that all the players and staff will receive US visas,” he said, but added that Iran was “very confident” in FIFA’s protocols.

Sarah Hanna told AFP on Saturday that she could not confirm the move to Mexico and referred all questions to World Cup organisers.

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Hanna is the head of the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, where the Iranian team were to have been based.

At a FIFA congress in Vancouver last month, president Gianni Infantino said that Iran would play their World Cup games in the US as scheduled.

🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran is going to the World Cup, but with conditions.

The football federation confirmed the team will play in June, then handed the U.S., Mexico, and Canada a list of conditions.

Top of the list, guaranteed visas for all players and staff including those with IRGC ties,… https://t.co/afjQVGgp50 pic.twitter.com/Mt8EFRBRZN— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 9, 2026

“Let me start at the outset by confirming straight away, for those who maybe want to say something else or write something else, that of course Iran will be participating at the FIFA World Cup 2026,” Infantino said then.

“And of course, Iran will play in the United States of America. The reason for that is simple, because we have to unite. We have to bring people together.”

The World Cup, hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada, kicks off on June 11.

WORLD CUP: Iran Moves Base From The United States To Mexico