Iran to relocate 2026 FIFA World Cup training camp to Tijuana Mexico after Arizona switch

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By choosing Tijuana, Iran has created a practical solution that keeps travel simple, reduces stress, and lets the players concentrate on performing at their best.

Iran's Ehsan Hajsafi, Seyed Hossein Hosseini and teammates outside the US embassy for VISA procedures ahead of the World Cup.

Iran’s national football team has made a key change to its preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The squad will now base itself in the Mexican border city of Tijuana instead of Arizona after soccer’s world governing body approved the switch.

The announcement came on Saturday from Mehdi Taj, president of Iran’s football federation. In a video shared on the federation’s Telegram channel, Taj explained the new plan.

Mehdi Taj's announcement

"We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States," Iran's soccer federation President Mehdi Taj said in a video posted on its Telegram social media account.

Taj added that the move would help avoid visa-related complications and that the squad would be able to travel directly to Mexico aboard Iran Air flights.

Strategic location gives Iran easier access to match venues

The new base puts the team much closer to its Group G fixtures. Iran opens against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, faces Belgium in the same city on June 21, and wraps up the group stage against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Taj stressed the travel advantage of the Tijuana site. "The total distance between us and the venue of our games in Los Angeles is 55 minutes by flight," Taj said, adding that Tijuana was closer to their match venues than the team's previously planned camp in Arizona.

The Pacific coast setting offers modern training facilities and a calm environment, helping players stay fresh between matches without long journeys.

Months of uncertainty over visas and security finally eased

Iran had faced ongoing worries about travel and security arrangements for the tournament, which is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Just weeks ago, officials revealed that players and staff still had not received US visas. Taj said the federation had asked FIFA for firm guarantees on visas, security, and fair treatment of the Iranian delegation.

The switch to Tijuana solves many of these headaches. By basing the team in Mexico, Iran can enter more smoothly and focus fully on football rather than paperwork and logistics.

What the move means for Iran’s World Cup campaign

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 across the three host nations. For Iran, a reliable training base near their venues is vital in a tough Group G that includes strong sides like Belgium.

About the Author

Aachal Maniyar

Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.

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