Iran National Team To Stay In Mexico And Commute To U.S. For World Cup Matches After Hosting Refusal

Iran national team to stay in Mexico and commute to U.S. for World Cup matches after hosting refusal Iran’s national soccer team will be based in Mexico during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and travel into the United States only on match days after U.S. authorities declined to allow the squad to stay overnight in the country, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed. Sheinbaum said Mexico agreed to host the team after FIFA intervened and requested assistance following Washington’s refusal to accommodate the Iranian delegation for the duration of the tournament. According to officials, FIFA approached Mexico once it became clear that the United States would not host Iran’s squad for overnight stays, despite the team being scheduled to play all of its group-stage matches on U.S. soil.

Mexico agreed to host the team, with Iran expected to base itself in Tijuana, near the U.S. border. Under the arrangement, Iran will remain in Mexico and commute across the border on each match day for its three group-stage games, which are scheduled to be played in U.S. host cities. The setup is intended to resolve logistical and visa related complications while still allowing Iran to compete in the tournament fixtures. The relocation follows heightened political tensions between Iran and the United States, along with security and visa issues that complicated earlier plans for Iran’s base camp in Arizona. Iran had originally been expected to stay in the U.S., but concerns led to a shift in planning and FIFA’s involvement in finding an alternative host base. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Iran has qualified for the tournament and is placed in a group that requires travel between Los Angeles and Seattle for its matches. Despite the unusual arrangement, FIFA has maintained the match schedule, and no changes have been announced to the venue Iran will remain an official World Cup participant playing in the United States, but its accommodation base will be in Mexico due to the U.S. refusal to host the team overnight, creating a cross-border travel arrangement for all its matches.