World Cup 2026 Iran Bases in Tijuana Amid US Visa Standoff

IRAN · WORLD CUP

One of the tournament’s most unusual logistical stories is unfolding on the Mexican border: a team that will play in the United States but sleep in Tijuana, shaped by a tense visa standoff.

Why World Cup 2026 Iran is based in Mexico

Iran’s squad landed in Tijuana, just across the border from San Diego, after an overnight flight from Türkiye. The team had spent about three weeks training in Antalya.

The federation moved its base from Arizona to Mexico late in the planning, citing uncertainty over US visas. Iran will stay in the Mexican city throughout the tournament.

The choice is striking because all of Iran’s group games are scheduled inside the United States. It leaves the team commuting across an international border to compete.

Iran had spent the build-up in Türkiye, using the camp there to apply for visas to the three host nations. The move to Mexico was sealed only as the tournament drew near.

A last-minute visa standoff

The United States granted visas to all of Iran’s players only days before their opener, according to officials. Several support-staff members were reportedly refused, including senior administrative figures.

Iran’s football federation called the refusals “political interference in sport.” A US official countered that visas for athletes and necessary staff had been issued.

The episode plays out against open hostilities between Washington and Tehran. It is a backdrop no other team at this World Cup has to manage.

Crossing the border for each game

Iran’s ambassador to Mexico said the team had been told it must enter and leave US soil around match days. A federation official offered a softer reading, describing multiple-entry visas and arrivals a day or two before games.

Either way, the squad faces repeated border crossings during the group stage. That is a logistical burden few other teams will carry.

Group G on the West Coast

According to the tournament schedule, Iran sit in Group G and play New Zealand in Los Angeles, Belgium in Los Angeles, and Egypt in Seattle (Lumen Field). All three matches fall on the United States side of the border.

The arrangement makes Tijuana a practical, if unusual, home base. It also turns a routine team camp into a diplomatic talking point.

Tijuana sits a short drive from the San Diego border crossing, one of the busiest in the world. That proximity is what makes the cross-border plan workable at all.

Why it matters

The standoff is a reminder that this World Cup is being staged across three countries with very different politics. The logistics of a single team can become a story in their own right.

For Mexico, hosting Iran’s base adds a quiet diplomatic role to its tournament duties. The story will follow the team from the border to each kickoff.

More: Mexico news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the World Cup 2026 Iran team based?

Iran is based in Tijuana, Mexico, across the border from San Diego. The team will stay there throughout the tournament.

Why is Iran not based in the United States?

The federation moved its camp from Arizona to Mexico amid uncertainty over US visas. The decision was made late in the build-up.

Where does Iran play its group games?

Iran are in Group G, facing New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle. All three matches are in the United States.

Did Iran’s players get US visas?

Players received visas days before the opener, officials said. Several staff members were reportedly refused entry.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error