Iran move World Cup base from US to Mexico with FIFA approval

play Live Sign upShow navigation menu.css-15ru6p1{font-size:inherit;font-weight:normal;}Navigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedOpinionSportVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upNavigation menucaret-leftUS-Israel war on IranLive updatesIran-US peace talksWhy Iran won’t give up HormuzCould the war trigger a hunger crisis?How well do you know Iran?caret-rightSport|World Cup 2026Iran move World Cup base from US to Mexico with FIFA approvalIran were expected to fly from Turkiye to Arizona to continue World Cup 2026 preparations but will switch to Mexico. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoTeam Iran were due to fly from Tukiye to US to continue preparations for FIFA World Cup 2026 [Dilara Senkaya/Reuters]By Kevin Hand and ReutersPublished On 23 May 202623 May 2026Iran will base ‌their squad in the Mexican border city of Tijuana ⁠during this ⁠year’s World Cup after football’s world governing body FIFA approved a request to move their training camp from Arizona, ⁠the head of Iran’s football federation said on Saturday. “We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific ⁠Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States,” Iran’s Football Federation President Mehdi Taj said in a video posted on its Telegram social media account. Taj added that the switch would help ‌avoid visa-related complications following the US-Israel war on Iran, and that the squad would be able to fly directly to Mexico with Iran Air. Iran will play their 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. “The ⁠total distance between us and the venue of our games in Los Angeles is 55 minutes by flight,” Taj said, adding that Tijuana was closer to their ⁠match venues than the team’s previously planned camp in Arizona. Iran has faced uncertainty for months ⁠over travel and security arrangements for the ⁠World Cup, which will be cohosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and had asked for their games to be moved from the US. Iranian officials said this month that their players and staff had yet to receive US ‌visas, less than a month before the start of the tournament. They began visa applications during their stay in Turkiye for pre-tournament training. Taj said FIFA had been asked for guarantees over visas, security ‌and ‌the treatment of the Iranian delegation. Iran are due to play Gambia in a friendly on May 29 before coach Amir Ghalenoei names his final 26-man World Cup squad by FIFA’s June 1 deadline. The World Cup is from June 11 to July 19. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: