Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj announced on May 24 that FIFA has approved the request to move the team’s World Cup 2026 training base from Arizona, USA, to the border city of Tijuana, Mexico, to avoid complex visa problems.
“We will camp in Tijuana, near the Pacific Ocean and on the Mexico-US border,” Taj said in a video posted on FFIRI’s Telegram account. He emphasized the move helps the team sidestep visa complications following the US-Israel conflict with Iran and allows the team to fly directly to Mexico on Iran Air.
According to Taj, the total distance from the new base to Iran’s match venues in Los Angeles is just a 55-minute flight, closer than the original plan in Arizona. Iran will play its first two Group G matches in Los Angeles: against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before facing Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Iran has faced months of uncertainty over travel and security for the World Cup, which is co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. Earlier, the team had requested to move matches out of the US, but FIFA rejected that request in April.
Iranian officials said earlier this month that players and staff have not yet received US visas, with less than a month until the tournament starts. They must begin visa applications while in Turkey for pre-tournament training.
Taj said FFIRI has asked FIFA to guarantee visas, security, and treatment of the Iranian delegation. The team is scheduled to play a friendly against Gambia on May 29, before coach Amir Ghalenoei announces the final 26-man World Cup squad ahead of FIFA’s June 1 deadline.
The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19.
