&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "FIFA World Cup 2026: Iran shift training camp from US to Mexico ahead of kickoff")
Iran have officially moved their training camp for the FIFA World Cup 2026 from the United States to Mexico due to ongoing visa complications and security concerns ahead of the tournament. The decision was confirmed by Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj, who said FIFA approved the change following a series of discussions with tournament organisers and federation officials.
Iran had initially selected Tucson in Arizona, as their training camp, however, rising tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding travel and entry procedures prompted the federation to opt for an alternative safer location.
The national team will now be based in Tijuana in Mexico, near the US border south of San Diego, during the World Cup, which is set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from Jun 11 to Jul 19, 2026.
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In the official statement, Taj stated that all participating nations must receive FIFA approval for their training bases and noted that Iran’s request was accepted after meetings with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, along with a virtual discussion held in Tehran with FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom.
“All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by FIFA," Taj said in a statement released by the federation.
“Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held 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."
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The move is expected to solve several logistical challenges for Iran, particularly visa-related issues. Iranian officials had previously acknowledged that players and staff were still awaiting US visas with less than a month remaining before the competition begins.
Under the revised arrangement, Iran will travel to the United States only for matches before returning to Mexico immediately afterward.
Iran are scheduled to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on Jun 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on Jun 21 and Egypt in Seattle on Jun 26.
Taj also revealed that the federation had requested assurances from FIFA regarding visa processing, security measures and the overall treatment of the Iranian delegation throughout the tournament.
The 2026 edition will mark Iran’s fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance and their seventh overall, though the team has yet to advance beyond the group stage.
How to watch and stream FIFA World Cup 2026 in India
You can watch FIFA 2026 on Zee’s new Unite8 Sports network (Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD). Multiple group-stage matches that take place simultaneously will be aired across the four channels with English and Hindi feeds.
All games will also be streamed live on the Zee5 app and website (https://www.zee5.com/).
