Iran moves World Cup training center from US to Mexico amid war

Players of the Iranian national football team
AP/Vahid Salemi
The Iranian national team announced this Saturday (23) that it had transferred its training center for the 2026 World Cup from the United States to Mexico, amid the uncertainties caused by the war in the Middle East.
According to the Iranian Football Federation, FIFA approved the move after a series of meetings held in recent days.
Initially, the team would train in Tucson, in the American state of Arizona. Now, the delegation will be based in Tijuana, a Mexican city located on the border with the United States.
In a statement, the president of the Iranian federation, Mehdi Taj, stated that the request was accepted after conversations with officials from FIFA and the World Cup organization.
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"All training centers for the teams participating in the World Cup need to be approved by FIFA. Fortunately, following the requests we sent and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the virtual meeting we had yesterday in Tehran with the FIFA Secretary General, our request to move the United States national team's training center to Mexico was approved," he said.
FIFA has not yet officially confirmed the change.
The move comes amid tensions involving the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel. According to the Iranian press, concerns about security and instability in the region influenced the decision.
Iran is in Group G of the World Cup and will debut in the tournament on June 15, against New Zealand, in Inglewood, California.

Source: G1