Iran has moved the base of the World Cup from the US to Mexico with the permission of FIFA | World Cup 2026 news

Iran is expected to fly from Turkey to Arizona to continue preparations for the 2026 World Cup but will instead switch to Mexico.

Iran will base its team in the Mexican border city of Tijuana for this year’s World Cup after world soccer governing body FIFA approved a request to move its training camp from Arizona, the head of Iran’s soccer federation said on Saturday.

“We will be in the camp of Tijuana, 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 his Telegram account.

Taj added that the change would help avoid visa-related problems after the US-Israel war in Iran, and that the group would be able to fly 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 distance between us and our games in Los Angeles is 55 minutes by plane,” Taj said, adding that Tijuana was closer to their games than the team’s previous camp in Arizona.

Iran has faced months of uncertainty over travel and security for the ⁠World Cup, which will host the United States, Canada and Mexico, and has asked for their games to go ahead. he left the US.

Iranian officials said this month that their players and staff had not received US visas, less than a month before the tournament. They started visa applications during his stay in Turkey to study the game before the competition.

Taj said FIFA has been asked to provide assurances on visas, security andthe support 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 squad for the World Cup by FIFA’s June 1 deadline.

The World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19.