2026 World Cup: Iran forced to set up base camp in Tijuana over visa issues

Geopolitics has once again collided with the beautiful game. Iran's national team has been forced to abandon plans for an Arizona base camp at the 2026 World Cup after encountering significant visa difficulties with US authorities. The Team Melli will instead set up in Tijuana, Mexico — a decision now formally approved by FIFA. The switch carries strategic logic despite the diplomatic headache. Tijuana sits just across the border from Southern California, where several World Cup venues are located. Mehdi Taremi and his teammates will be able to travel to matches on US soil without needing to reside there, effectively sidestepping the visa complications that triggered the move in the first place. From a sporting perspective, the change raises legitimate questions. Arizona's world-class training facilities were part of Iran's original preparation blueprint. Tijuana offers a different environment, though the Iranian federation insists that the selected infrastructure meets international standards. The coastal climate should at least provide manageable conditions for training. This episode underscores the unprecedented logistical complexity of a World Cup spread across three nations with 48 competing teams. Equal preparation conditions for all participants were always going to be a challenge, and Iran's visa saga is a stark reminder that off-pitch factors can shape tournament narratives well before kickoff. As the 2026 edition approaches, expect more such stories to emerge from the most ambitious World Cup ever staged.