Iran’s football federation has moved its 2026 World Cup base camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, following FIFA approval. With the tournament starting in two weeks, President Mehdi Taj is now urging the U.S. government to grant multiple-entry visas to players and staff for their upcoming group stage matches.
Shifting the Base Camp to Tijuana
The Iranian national team is pivoting its logistical strategy just days before the 2026 World Cup kicks off. After receiving the green light from FIFA, the team is relocating its training headquarters from Arizona to the Mexican border city of Tijuana, as reported by The Daily Star Bangla.
The FFIRI coordinated this relocation with FIFA’s logistical department to ensure the Tijuana facility meets the mandatory international standards for training, medical recovery, and security. This move allows the federation to maintain a controlled environment outside of U.S. jurisdiction while remaining within striking distance of their match venues.
This move is not merely about geography; it is about accessibility. Tijuana sits near the Pacific coast and directly on the U.S.-Mexico border, providing a strategic jumping-off point for the team’s American fixtures.
“We will stay at the Tijuana camp. It is near the Pacific Ocean and in an area on the Mexico-United States border.” Mehdi Taj, President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI)
The shift offers a significant logistical advantage over the previously planned Arizona site. The flight from Tijuana to the team’s primary match venue in Los Angeles is only 55 minutes, reducing travel fatigue for the squad. This reduction in transit time is critical for player recovery between the first and second group matches, which are scheduled only six days apart.
The Demand for Multiple-Entry Visas
While the base camp is now in Mexico, the competitive action remains on U.S. soil. This creates a complex immigration hurdle for the Iranian delegation. According to NTV BD, the FFIRI is now demanding that the United States government issue multiple-entry visas for all players and support staff.
The request extends beyond the 26-man playing squad to include the full technical staff, medical team, and federation officials. The FFIRI has emphasized that the support staff, who manage everything from physiotherapy to tactical analysis, face the same stringent scrutiny as the players and require identical travel flexibility to ensure the team’s operational stability.
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Because the team will be stationed in Mexico but must play three separate matches in the U.S., they cannot rely on a single-entry permit. They need the ability to cross the border repeatedly without facing bureaucratic delays or denials at the port of entry.
“Since their camp is in Mexico, the players will have to enter and leave the United States repeatedly to play matches. Therefore, the United States must give multiple-entry visas to all players.” Mehdi Taj, President of the FFIRI
The urgency is high. Many members of the squad have yet to receive their visas, and the team is currently conducting its final preparations in Turkey. This Turkish training camp includes high-intensity friendlies designed to finalize the roster and tactical shape before the June 15 opener.
Group G Schedule and Logistics
Iran finds itself in Group G, with a schedule that requires them to navigate two different U.S. cities. As detailed by The Daily Star Bangla, the match timeline is as follows:
- June 15: vs New Zealand (Los Angeles)
- June 21: vs Belgium (Los Angeles)
- June 26: vs Egypt (Seattle)
The proximity of Tijuana to Los Angeles simplifies the first two fixtures, which will be hosted at major venues in the LA area. However, the challenge increases significantly for the final match in Seattle at Lumen Field. The trip to the Pacific Northwest requires a separate transit leg, making the request for flexible visa status critical to prevent any player from being stranded in Mexico or delayed during the trip to Washington state.
The competitive stakes in Group G are high. Iran faces Belgium, a top-ranked UEFA side, and Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah. To advance to the knockout stages, Iran must secure points against these opponents, a goal that is complicated by the current instability of their travel arrangements.
Geopolitical Friction and Air Travel
The decision to move the camp to Mexico was not a sporting choice, but a political necessity. Mehdi Taj explicitly linked the move to the state of war between the United States and Israel, noting that the shift was designed to bypass the severe visa complications that typically plague Iranian citizens traveling to the U.S.
By basing the team in Mexico, the federation can utilize Iran Air for direct flights into Mexican territory. This avoids the need for the team to transit through third-party airports in the Middle East or Europe where they might face immediate scrutiny, questioning, or detention by security agencies aligned with U.S. interests.
The FFIRI has officially cited “security concerns” for the players’ safety and mental well-being if the team were based entirely within the U.S. during the current geopolitical climate. The federation believes that having a sovereign base in Mexico provides a psychological buffer for the athletes.
The stakes are high. If the U.S. government does not finalize the visa process within the next three weeks, Iran risks arriving at the World Cup with a depleted roster or a distracted support staff. For a team already dealing with the pressures of a high-stakes tournament, the battle with immigration officials is a distraction they cannot afford.
