Iran’s World Cup Base Camp Moves to Mexico
As the eagerly awaited World Cup draws near, countries participating in the tournament are setting up their training camps across the three host nations. This year, the tournament will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
However, the Iranian national football team, which is under significant scrutiny leading up to the Cup, has just announced it won’t be training in the U.S. Instead, the team will establish its base camp in Mexico. This decision was shared by the president of the Iranian Football Federation.
Mehdi Taj, the federation’s president, made the announcement recently, but there hasn’t been any confirmation from FIFA yet. Initially, Iran planned to practice in Tucson, Arizona, but heightened concerns surrounding security due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East prompted this shift.
The federation has stated that the team’s new location will be Tijuana, situated just south of California. “All base camps for participating teams must get FIFA’s approval,” Taj noted. He expressed relief that their request to relocate the base has been approved following discussions held in Istanbul and a webinar with FIFA officials.
Iran is set to compete in Group G, facing New Zealand on June 15 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, followed by a match against Belgium six days later, and then Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The federation highlighted that being close to Los Angeles will be advantageous for the team, which will have access to various training facilities, a gym, and a private restaurant, among other amenities.
This marks Iran’s fourth consecutive appearance in the World Cup, although they have yet to advance beyond the group stage.
For the Iranian federation, moving the base camp also aims to avoid potential visa complications, as the team will enter the U.S. through Mexico. Taj mentioned that they might utilize Iran Air for flights between Mexico and their home country.
The World Cup is set to kick off on June 11 and will conclude with the final match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19.
