A body was discovered near the hotel where Iran’s national football team is staying in Tijuana, Mexico, as the team trains for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Local police reported that a gray Toyota SUV had been left abandoned for several days in a supermarket parking area close to the team’s hotel and the Caliente Stadium training venue. When a strong odor emerged from the vehicle on Friday, residents alerted authorities. Police found a body wrapped in a black plastic bag inside the trunk, showing clear signs of violence and physical injury.

According to AFP, a special forensic team, under the direction of the Tijuana Prosecutor’s Office, examined the vehicle and collected evidence before sending the body for autopsy. Authorities confirmed that there is no indication of any connection between the incident and the Iranian national team. Police are treating it as a separate criminal case.

Iran had chosen Tijuana as its World Cup base after canceling a planned training camp in the United States due to ongoing political and military tensions between the two countries.