Iran Bases World Cup Squad in Mexico After US Refuses to Host

Iran's ambassador to Mexico has expressed gratitude to President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo for stepping in to accommodate the Iranian national team during the 2026 World Cup, after the United States refused to host the squad.

Abolfazl Pasandideh made the visit to Tijuana on Thursday, May 28, to personally thank the Mexican president for accepting the proposal. He took the occasion to highlight that Washington had shirked what he characterised as its duty to provide lodging for the team, and pointed out that visa issuance for both players and supporters remained outstanding.

The Iranian delegation will base itself in the Mexican border city of Tijuana throughout the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19, and travel across to the United States solely on match days. Mehdi Taj, chief of Iran's football federation, announced the relocation from Arizona during the weekend, with FIFA rubber-stamping the decision on Monday, May 25.

Sheinbaum revealed that FIFA had approached Mexico's government after US authorities made clear they did not wish to accommodate Iran within the country, despite the team being scheduled to play all three of its Group G fixtures there. World Cup host nations are conventionally expected to issue visas permitting both national squads and their accompanying supporters to enter freely.

Iran's fixture list sees them face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, take on Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, and meet Egypt in Seattle on June 26.