Arabic version: إيران تنقل قاعدة تدريب كأس العالم إلى تيخوانا، المكسيك
According to Al Jazeera,
Iran will base their squad in the Mexican border city of Tijuana during this year’s World Cup after football’s world governing body FIFA approved a request to move their training camp from Arizona, the head of Iran’s football federation said on Saturday.
The move aims to circumvent visa issues that have arisen due to the ongoing US-Israel tensions. Taj stated that the team’s new base in Tijuana, located near the Pacific Ocean and the US-Mexico border, allows for direct flights from Iran Air, facilitating easier travel for the squad.
Iran is set to play its first two Group G matches in Los Angeles, facing New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before competing against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Taj noted that the flight time from Tijuana to Los Angeles is only 55 minutes, making it a more convenient location compared to Arizona.
In recent months, Iran has experienced uncertainty regarding travel and security arrangements for the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iranian officials indicated that their players and staff had not yet received US visas, prompting the request to shift their base to Mexico. FIFA has been asked for assurances on visa matters and the treatment of the Iranian delegation as the tournament approaches.
Iran will play a friendly match against Gambia on May 29, with the final 26-man squad set to be announced by FIFA’s June 1 deadline, ahead of the World Cup scheduled from June 11 to July 19.
