The Iranian national football team will live in the Mexican city of Tijuana during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The decision was made after the United States refused to host the team in the country for the duration of the tournament. The players will travel to American cities for match days.
Briefly about the main points
- The Iranian national team will live in Mexico during the 2026 World Cup.
- The United States refused to accept the Iranian national team for the entire tournament.
- FIFA has confirmed changes to the Iranian team's roster.
Iranian national team chooses Mexico as base for 2026 World Cup
The Iranian football team will live in Tijuana, Mexico, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This is due to the fact that the United States refused to host the team on its territory during the tournament, which will run from 11 June to 19 July. In particular, the Iranians will play three group stage matches in the cities of Los Angeles and Seattle, but will spend the night in Mexico and travel to the United States on game days. About. reports Reuters.
Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum said that the country had no reason to refuse the team's application. This decision was confirmed by FIFA, which supported the change of base. For Iran, this means more convenient conditions, as Iranian Airlines' direct flights to Mexico will help avoid visa difficulties.
Political and sporting context of the situation
Earlier, the United States said it did not want Iranian national team was on their territory throughout the championship. The President of the United States Donald Trump in March pointed out the danger to the team and the lack of security for the players in the United States. This happened against the backdrop of escalating political tensions between Iran, the US and Israel.
Chairman of the Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj said that the team would move from Arizona to Tijuana to avoid visa problems and simplify logistics. Initially, options for moving the matches to Mexico were discussed, but FIFA left the calendar unchanged. The situation attracted wide attention from the international community and football fans, as Iran qualified for the 2026 World Cup for the third time in a row, confirming its status in world football.
