Iran Move World Cup Base Camp from Tucson to Tijuana After FIFA Approval
Iran will relocate their 2026 World Cup base camp from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, after FIFA approved a late request by the Iranian Football Federation. President Mehdi Taj said the decision followed meetings with FIFA in Istanbul and a Tehran webinar with the FIFA secretary general. Team Melli open Group G against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.
I ran will relocate their 2026 World Cup base camp from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, after FIFA approved a late request from the Iranian Football Federation. The move re-routes Team Melli's pre-tournament camp across the border but keeps the group-stage match schedule intact: Iran open against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, also face Belgium in Los Angeles, and meet Egypt in Seattle.
"Our request was approved"
In a statement issued through the Iranian federation and a video posted to the FFIRI Telegram account, FFIRI president Mehdi Taj said: "All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by FIFA. Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in Tehran with the respected FIFA Secretary General, our request to change the team's base from the United States to Mexico was approved. We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States."
The Istanbul meeting
On Saturday, May 16, a FIFA delegation led by secretary general Mattias Grafström met FFIRI officials in Istanbul. Taj struck an optimistic tone afterwards: "We had a positive and constructive meeting with FIFA. We discussed our concerns and expressed our joint commitment to ensure the smooth participation of Team Melli at the FIFA World Cup." That meeting set the diplomatic context that led to the base-camp move being approved this week. FIFA had not immediately responded to a request for comment at the time of writing.
Why the move
Iran's participation has been clouded since the U.S. and Israel launched an armed conflict against the country in late February, with the parties currently in an uneasy ceasefire. The base-camp relocation lets Iran prepare on neutral ground across the U.S. border while preserving access to the Los Angeles and Seattle group venues, all of which sit within reasonable charter-flight range from Tijuana. The Tijuana coastal location also offers training conditions closer to the Mediterranean climate the squad is used to.
Final tune-up in Antalya
Iran face Gambia in a pre-World Cup friendly in Antalya, Turkey on May 29 before traveling to North America for the pre-tournament camp in Tijuana.
Group G schedule
Iran are drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand. Opener vs New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. Belgium in Los Angeles on the second matchday. Egypt in Seattle closes the group on June 26.
Reporting: USA TODAY / FFIRI Telegram, May 23, 2026.