Iran’s national soccer team will set up its 2026 FIFA World Cup base camp in Tijuana after the United States refused to let the squad stay overnight on American soil. President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the arrangement Monday at her morning press conference, saying Mexico accepted a FIFA request to host the Iranian delegation. With the World Cup opening on June 11, Tijuana is now preparing to receive a full national team operation on roughly two weeks’ notice.
U.S. Barred Iran From Staying Overnight Despite Hosting All Three Matches
Iran was originally assigned Tucson, Arizona, as its tournament base camp. FIFA assigns base camps to all 48 participating nations, providing a home facility for training, recovery, and lodging between matches. But the U.S. government objected to Iran’s team remaining on American soil overnight, citing what the BBC described as security concerns tied to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The shift is rooted in decades of severed diplomatic ties between Washington and Tehran. The two countries have not maintained formal diplomatic relations since 1980, and U.S. sanctions against Iran remain among the most extensive in the world. The 2026 World Cup draw placed Iran in a group where all three of its matches will be played at U.S. venues. That means Iran’s players will cross the border from Tijuana into the United States on match days, then return to Mexico afterward.
Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, said Sunday that FIFA had approved the switch from Tucson to Tijuana. FIFA itself has not yet issued a public confirmation. Sheinbaum said Monday that her government told FIFA “yes, no problem” when asked whether Mexico could host the team.
“We don’t have any reason to reject the possibility of them staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said. She added that Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez and Gabriela Cuevas, Mexico’s designated World Cup representative, are coordinating accommodation details with FIFA.
Tijuana Has Hosted International Soccer Teams Before
Tijuana is no stranger to high-profile soccer operations. Estadio Caliente, home to Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente (better known as Xolos), seats roughly 33,333 and has hosted Mexican national team friendlies and Liga MX playoff matches. The city also has multiple FIFA-standard training facilities, including the Xolos training complex in the Cerro Colorado area.
Yet Tijuana is not one of the 16 official World Cup host cities. The tournament’s three Mexican venues are Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, and Estadio BBVA in Monterrey. So while Tijuana will not host any matches, it now becomes a base of operations for at least one national team delegation, including players, coaching staff, medical personnel, FIFA liaisons, and an international media contingent.
No specific hotel or training facility has been publicly named. Base camps at previous World Cups typically involve a four- or five-star hotel with exclusive-use dining and meeting rooms, plus a dedicated training pitch within a short drive. Tijuana’s Zona Río district, home to several international-brand hotels like the Marriott and Hyatt Place, is the most likely area for team lodging. The Xolos training grounds or the Centro de Alto Rendimiento sports complex could serve as training venues.
Two Weeks to Prepare for Security, Logistics, and Border Crossings
The timeline is tight. The World Cup kicks off June 11, and Iran’s first group-stage match has not yet been publicly scheduled to a specific date and venue beyond the group-stage window. The team and its full delegation could arrive in Tijuana as early as the first week of June.
Hosting a World Cup delegation requires a security perimeter around the team hotel, restricted access to training facilities, and coordination with local police. Tijuana’s municipal police and Baja California state security forces will likely need to work alongside federal authorities and FIFA’s own security team. Residents near the eventual base camp location should expect road closures, checkpoints, and a visible police presence during the team’s stay.
Border logistics add another layer of complexity. Iran’s delegation will need to cross into the United States through the San Ysidro or Otay Mesa ports of entry on match days. Those crossings already rank among the busiest land border crossings in the world. San Ysidro processes roughly 70,000 northbound crossers on a typical day. A diplomatic motorcade carrying a World Cup team could mean temporary lane closures or priority processing that ripples into longer wait times for regular commuters.
The economic upside for Tijuana is real but modest. A single national team delegation of 50 to 80 people, staying for two to three weeks, will fill hotel rooms and generate business at restaurants and service providers near the base camp. The larger draw is the international media attention. Tijuana will appear on global sports broadcasts as Iran’s home base, a form of exposure the city’s tourism sector has long sought.
Sheinbaum said Tuesday’s morning press conference would include details on health screening measures related to Ebola concerns surrounding another World Cup team, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Accommodation specifics for Iran’s Tijuana base camp are expected to be announced once FIFA and Mexican officials finalize the arrangements, likely within days.