The Iranian football team has officially relocated its training base for the FIFA World Cup 2026 from the United States to Mexico. This decision comes after FIFA approved the Iranian football federation's request to change its base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The announcement was made by Mehdi Taj, the president of Iran's football federation, in a video shared by the Fars news agency.

Reasons for the Move

Taj explained that the shift to Tijuana was primarily motivated by concerns over visa approvals for team members. He noted that the federation had faced challenges in obtaining US visas, prompting the request to FIFA for a change in location. "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 stated.

Being based in Tijuana, which is situated near the Pacific Ocean and close to the US border, will facilitate travel for the team. Taj highlighted that the distance to Los Angeles, where Iran will play two of its group stage matches, is significantly shorter from Tijuana compared to Tucson. "The distance for us in the two games that we have in LA will be a 55-minute flight," he remarked.

World Cup Schedule and Preparation

Iran's participation in the World Cup has been uncertain since February, following military actions involving the United States and Israel against Iran. The team is drawn in Group G and is set to begin its campaign against New Zealand on June 15, followed by matches against Belgium on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Currently, the Iranian squad is preparing in Antalya, Türkiye, and has begun the visa application process at the US embassy in Ankara.

With the move to Tijuana, the Iranian football federation aims to streamline logistics and ensure a smoother experience for the team during the tournament. The federation remains hopeful about securing the necessary visas for all members as they approach the World Cup.