FA President says FIFA agrees with Iran’s request to move the World Cup training base from the US to Mexico
Iran will reportedly conduct training in Tijuana instead of Arizona following FIFA’s approval of a base change request.
Iran’s World Cup training base has been relocated from the United States to Mexico following FIFA’s approval of a request from the country’s football federation, as stated by Iranian FA president Mehdi Taj.
Taj announced that Iran will now be based in Tijuana, a Mexican border city, rather than Tucson, Arizona, although FIFA has yet to officially confirm this change.
The decision arises in the context of persistent security concerns associated with the conflict in the Middle East and the ambiguity regarding Iran’s involvement in the tournament, which is set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
On Saturday, Taj announced that FIFA had granted approval for the request after meetings with World Cup officials in Istanbul and discussions with FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom.
“We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is located near the Pacific Ocean and along the border between Mexico and the United States,” Taj stated.
He noted that Tijuana provides more convenient access to Iran’s group-stage matches, with flights to Los Angeles lasting approximately 55 minutes, in contrast to the longer travel times from Tucson.
Iran is set to compete against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The team is currently training in Antalya, Turkey, while some players have recently traveled to the US embassy in Ankara to submit visa applications for the tournament.
Earlier this month, Taj mentioned that Iranian players were still waiting for their visas. The Iranian Football Federation has submitted a list of conditions to FIFA, which includes visa approval for players, coaches, and officials who have completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that Iran’s players would be welcome at the tournament; however, individuals connected to the IRGC may encounter entry restrictions.
