Iran's World Cup base switched from US to Mexico, FA president claims
Quick Look
- Iran's FA president claims FIFA approved a switch of their World Cup training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, citing security concerns due to the Middle East conflict.
- The move aims to reduce travel time for their matches in Los Angeles.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Iran's participation in the World Cup has been uncertain due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The team's training base was initially set in Tucson, Arizona.
The president of the Iranian FA says Fifa has approved the country's World Cup training base being switched from the United States to Mexico.
Mehdi Taj said Iran will now be based in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, although the change has yet to be confirmed by Fifa.
Iran were given Tucson, Arizona as their World Cup base but the ongoing war in the Middle East and related security concerns has led to uncertainty around their participation.
The tournament is being co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, with Iran scheduled to play New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June - both in Los Angeles - and Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
"All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by Fifa," Taj said.
"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 on Friday in Tehran with the respected Fifa secretary general [Swede Mattias Grafstrom], 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."
He added that Tijuana was closer to the cities where Iran will play than the camp in Arizona.
"The distance for us in the two games that we have in LA will be a 55-minute flight, which is a lot less compared to Tucson," he said.
Iran are currently preparing for the tournment in Antalya, southern Turkey.
BBC Sport has approached Fifa for comment.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Fifa will officially confirm the change of Iran's World Cup base to Tijuana.
Likely · Within days
Open Questions
- Has Fifa officially confirmed the base change?
- What specific security concerns led to the initial uncertainty?
- What are the logistical implications for other teams or tournament operations?
- Will this change affect Iran's team morale or performance?
