The president of Iran’s Football Federation has announced that the country’s national team will move its training camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to the city of Tijuana in Mexico, a decision that Iranian football officials say was made after receiving FIFA’s approval.
Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s Football Federation, said in a video published on the federation’s Telegram account: “The national team will be based at the Tijuana camp, near the Pacific Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States.”
He added that the change of location could help avoid problems related to obtaining visas, and that Iran’s national team would also be able to travel directly to Mexico on Iran Air flights.
Previously, Iran had planned to hold its training camp in the U.S. state of Arizona, but concerns over visa issues and security arrangements forced football officials to change their plans.
At the 2026 World Cup, Iran will play its first two Group G matches in Los Angeles. The team will first face New Zealand on June 15 and then play Belgium on June 21.
Iran’s third group-stage match will be against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
Mehdi Taj said that the flight distance between Tijuana and Los Angeles is about 55 minutes, and that the city is closer to the match venues than the previous camp location in Arizona.
In recent months, Iran’s national team has faced uncertainty regarding travel conditions, security, and visa procedures for participation in the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Iranian officials announced earlier this month that despite the approaching start of the tournament, players and members of the coaching staff had still not received U.S. visas.
The president of Iran’s Football Federation also said that they had asked FIFA to provide the necessary guarantees regarding visa issuance, security, and the treatment of the Iranian delegation.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11 and continue until July 19.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
