Mexico Says It Has ‘No Issue’ Hosting Team Melli
Mexico has confirmed its willingness to host Team Melli during the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Iran’s base camp was moved from the United States to Tijuana.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Monday that Mexico has “no issue” hosting Iran’s national team after its World Cup training base was moved from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico.
The move, which had recently been announced by the Iran Football Federation, was formally confirmed by FIFA on Monday when the governing body released the full list of all 48 World Cup base camp sites.
Team Melli will still play its Group G matches in the United States, but will now use Tijuana, just south of San Diego, as its base for training before and after matches.
Sheinbaum said a FIFA representative told her that the United States was reluctant to have the Iranian team stay overnight on U.S. territory outside of match commitments. According to Sheinbaum, Mexico agreed to host the team without issue.
Iran had originally been expected to base itself in Tucson, but security concerns, regional tensions, and potential complications related to U.S. sanctions had made a move increasingly possible.
The U.S. State Department said President Donald Trump had made clear that Iran’s team was welcome to participate in the tournament, though the statement did not address where the team would stay.
Iran opens its World Cup campaign against New Zealand on June 15 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, before facing Belgium on June 21 and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.