Iran’s national football team will move their World Cup training base from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, after FIFA approved the switch due to visa complications, Iranian federation president Mehdi Taj announced Saturday. The decision comes as Iran faces ongoing uncertainty about securing U.S. visas for all players and staff ahead of the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“Our request to change countries from the United States to Mexico, due to problems encountered in obtaining visas, was accepted by FIFA,” Taj said in a statement. “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 noted that the new base in Tijuana would also allow easier travel to Iran’s group stage matches, with a 55-minute flight to Los Angeles, where Iran will play its first two matches—against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21—followed by a third against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The move follows months of uncertainty for Iran’s participation after escalating geopolitical tensions and logistical challenges related to U.S. visa issuance. Some of the Iranian squad recently traveled to the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey, to submit visa applications.
Despite the relocation, FIFA President Gianni Infantino reaffirmed at a recent congress that “Iran will play their World Cup games in the U.S. as scheduled,” emphasizing FIFA’s commitment to inclusivity and unity at the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11, with Iran now set to prepare for their Group G campaign from their new base in Mexico.
