The Iranian national football team will set up its training base for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Mexico, following a decision by the United States to not host the team during the tournament. This development comes despite Iran’s scheduled group-stage matches taking place on American soil. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that FIFA reached out to Mexico after the United States declined to accommodate the Iranian squad overnight.

The Iranian team has now been assigned a training base in Tijuana, Mexico, which is conveniently located near the US border and close to San Diego, California. FIFA has officially included this location in its list of team base camps for the tournament. Originally, Iran had intended to establish its World Cup headquarters in Tucson, Arizona. However, rising tensions in the Middle East, coupled with issues related to US sanctions on Iran, reportedly led to complications that necessitated a change in plans.

President Sheinbaum expressed that Mexico is willing to host the Iranian football team and is currently working with FIFA to iron out the logistical details required for the event. This decision is expected to facilitate a smoother experience for the Iranian team, as it avoids potential visa-related complications. Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, noted that the relocation to Tijuana allows the team to arrive directly via Iran Air flights.

Despite the logistical shift, the US State Department reiterated that Iran is still welcome to participate in the World Cup. However, they did not provide specific reasons for why the Iranian team would not be staying in the United States during the tournament. The World Cup is set to take place from June 11 to July 19 and will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.