TIJUANA, Mexico — Iran’s national football team arrived in Tijuana and began training at its newly designated World Cup base camp this week after relocating from Arizona, a move approved by FIFA amid visa complications and heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, officials said.
Players held their first open training session in Tijuana on Thursday, days before Iran’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, according to Reuters and team officials. The squad had previously planned to base itself in Tucson, Arizona, but the Iranian Football Federation requested a move to Mexico that FIFA approved in late May.
FIFA confirmed that Iran’s headquarters for the tournament would be located at a training complex in Tijuana, just south of the U.S.-Mexico border. Iranian football officials said the relocation followed discussions with FIFA and World Cup organizers. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, said the request to move the team’s base “was approved” after meetings with football authorities and tournament officials.
The team arrived in Tijuana after training in Turkey for several weeks. Reuters reported that the squad landed in the Mexican border city on June 7 and was greeted by supporters before being escorted to its hotel and training facilities.
Iran’s participation in the World Cup had faced uncertainty in the weeks leading up to the tournament because of visa issues and broader geopolitical tensions. Iranian officials previously said some members of the delegation had not received U.S. visas, although Reuters reported that visas were later issued to all players. Several support staff members reportedly remained without entry authorization.
According to U.S. officials cited by Reuters, Iranian players will be permitted to enter the United States before matches and return afterward. Iran’s group-stage matches remain scheduled in U.S. venues, with games against New Zealand and Belgium in the Los Angeles area and a third match against Egypt in Seattle.
The relocation has drawn attention because the 2026 World Cup is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Iranian officials have said Tijuana’s location near the border would help address logistical and visa-related challenges while allowing the team to remain close to match sites.
During Thursday’s open practice, banners in both Farsi and Spanish welcomed the team, and local supporters attended the session, according to Reuters. Training consisted largely of recovery work following a recent exhibition match against a youth team from Club Tijuana.
As of Thursday, Iran remained based in Tijuana and was continuing preparations for its World Cup opener, with additional training sessions scheduled before traveling to Los Angeles for Monday’s match against New Zealand.
