Iran’s national football team has decided to move its 2026 World Cup base camp from the United States to Mexico just weeks before the tournament begins. The decision, approved by FIFA, was made due to visa-related complications and travel convenience. Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj confirmed that the new base camp will be in Tijuana, a Mexican city near the U.S. border, where team accommodations are already prepared.

In a video message published by Fars News Agency, Taj explained that visa difficulties prompted the request to shift the camp. With FIFA’s approval, the team will now train directly in Mexico and benefit from easier travel using Iran Air flights. Iran’s three group-stage matches will still take place in the United States—against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, and against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Taj noted that the new location will also reduce travel time to Los Angeles for the first two matches. The team is currently holding a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, while some players have applied for U.S. visas at the American embassy in Ankara.