TEHRAN — Iran will base its World Cup training camp in Tijuana, on the Mexican–U.S. border, after FIFA approved a request to relocate the squad from Arizona, Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj said Saturday.
Taj said the move, announced in a video on the federation’s Telegram channel, will ease visa hurdles and allow the team to fly directly to Mexico on Iran Air. Iran plays its 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. Taj noted the flight time from Tijuana to Los Angeles is roughly 55 minutes, making it a closer base than the originally planned Arizona camp.
The federation had sought FIFA guarantees on visas, security and treatment of the delegation amid months of uncertainty over travel arrangements. Iranian officials previously said players and staff had still not received U.S. visas less than a month before the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 and is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.