Iran’s national soccer team arrives in Mexico for World Cup preparation

Iran’s national soccer team has arrived in Mexico to begin final preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, setting up camp in the border city of Tijuana ahead of its opening matches in the United States.

Players landed Sunday after completing training sessions in Turkey, where the team had been holding a pre-tournament camp. A small group of supporters greeted the team upon arrival as it headed to its temporary World Cup base, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier plans had called for the team to be based in Arizona during the tournament, but concerns surrounding visa processing and broader tensions involving Iran caused officials to relocate the camp to Mexico. The move received approval from football authorities in recent weeks, the AP reported.

The World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, will see Iran travel from Mexico into the United States for its group-stage fixtures. The team is scheduled to face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in the opening round of the tournament.