Iran has moved its 2026 FIFA World Cup base from the US to Mexico days before kick-off
Iran’s football team has decided to move its base camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup from the United States to Mexico after receiving approval from FIFA, according to Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj. The move comes amid rising geopolitical tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel ahead of next year’s tournament.
Iran were originally scheduled to train in Tucson, Arizona during the World Cup, but will now reportedly be based in Tijuana, Mexico, which is close to the US border and allows for easier travel for their Group G matches in the United States.
Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj confirmed in a statement issued on Saturday that FIFA had approved their request after discussions with tournament officials.
“All team base camps for countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by FIFA,” Taj said.
“Fortunately, after the requests we submitted and the meetings with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in Tehran with the respected FIFA Secretary General, our request to change the team’s base from the United States to Mexico was approved.”
However, FIFA has not yet officially confirmed the change publicly.
WHY IRAN IS MOVING WORLD CUP BASE FROM USA
The decision comes amid rising tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel over concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and broader instability in the Middle East.
Iran has previously explored alternative arrangements for its stay at the World Cup amid security concerns and uncertainty about how the political situation could affect the team’s movement and preparation within the United States.
Despite the concerns, Iran is still set to play Group G matches in the US as originally planned.
Their World Cup campaign begins against New Zealand at the SoFi Stadium in California on June 16 before further group stage matches against Belgium and Egypt later in the tournament.
Earlier this month, former US President Donald Trump publicly supported Iran’s participation in the competition after FIFA president Gianni Infantino reaffirmed that the nation would play its matches in the United States.
“Well, if Gianni said it, I’m fine. Gianni said it? . . . You know what? Let them play,” Trump said as he spoke to reporters.
FIFA IS YET TO ISSUE OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION
Iran’s football federation has already held talks with FIFA officials over logistics and security concerns during the tournament.
In early May, federation chief Mehdi Taj said he planned to meet FIFA president Gianni Infantino to make sure Iran was treated with “respect” during the World Cup.
The issue also drew attention during the FIFA Congress earlier this year, where the Iranian delegation was notably absent due to ongoing political uncertainty.
While FIFA has not formally announced the relocation of Iran’s base camp, the federation’s approval — if confirmed — would allow Iran to remain outside the United States for most of the tournament while still traveling to matches across the border.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
24 May 2026 02:09 IST
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