Following the US refusal, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the government has decided to permit the Iranian soccer team to base themselves in Mexico for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The head of Iran’s football federation announced on Saturday that Tijuana, a Mexican border city, will serve as the team’s home base instead of Arizona in the United States.
It should be noted that the Iranian squad is in FIFA World Cup Group G, and their group stage matches are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles and Seattle.
Before the Iranian football squad departed for the FIFA World Cup, a lavish farewell ceremony was held in Tehran amid ongoing tensions and a fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States. The ceremony was attended by thousands of fans wielding Iranian flags, who cheered for victory and chanted pro-team slogans. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian personally traveled to Enghelab Square to say goodbye to the national squad and visited with the players at the team’s camp.
The Iranian FIFA World Cup kit was also unveiled during the event. On this special occasion, the Iranian president was presented with the team’s number 12 jersey, symbolically naming him their twelfth player.
The Iranian president urged the athletes to give their all on the field for the greatness of Iran, noting that the Iranian people are praying for the squad to play with full vigor and return with honor. Masoud Pezeshkian added that the team is anticipated to become a symbol of Iran’s pride and unity, concluding that the country is incredibly proud of its diligent sons.