Iran has confirmed that its national football team will base its main training camp in Mexico during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after securing approval from the sport’s governing body, FIFA, according to the head of the Iranian Football Federation.
The decision marks a change from earlier plans that had designated Tucson, Arizona in the United States as the team’s primary training camp, as Iran is scheduled to play its group-stage matches in U.S. host cities.
Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj said in a video published by Fars News Agency that the move was approved following discussions with FIFA officials, citing visa complications as the main reason behind the request.
“Fortunately, thanks to the meetings we held with FIFA officials, our request to change the country from the United States to Mexico was approved due to the problems we faced in obtaining visas,” Taj said, adding that the team will now be based in Tijuana.
He explained that the Mexican border city, located near the Pacific coast and close to the U.S. border, would help the team avoid logistical and visa-related challenges, while still allowing relatively easy travel to match venues in the United States.
FIFA had previously rejected proposals to relocate Iran’s matches to Mexico or Canada, though it has now approved the team’s request to adjust its training base for logistical reasons.
Iran, known as Team Melli, is currently in Türkiye as part of its World Cup preparations before traveling to North America for the tournament.
