Iran's national soccer team will base itself in Mexico and commute to the United States for its three World Cup matches [1].
The arrangement follows a decision by U.S. authorities to refuse hosting the Iranian squad, creating a diplomatic and logistical challenge for one of the tournament's participating nations.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the decision on Monday, May 25, 2026. She confirmed that the team will use Tijuana as its primary base of operations and travel across the border to reach various U.S. venues for their scheduled games [2, 3, 4].
"I have no issue with my country hosting Iran's World Cup team," Sheinbaum said [3].
The Iranian squad is scheduled to play three matches in the United States [1]. Because the U.S. declined to host the team's residency, the squad must now navigate a cross-border commute for each fixture.
Mexico's offer to provide a base in Tijuana ensures the team can participate in the tournament despite the lack of a host facility within the U.S. borders [2, 4]. The logistics of this arrangement will require coordination between Mexican and U.S. border authorities to ensure the team and staff can move efficiently on match days.
This decision marks a rare instance where a co-host of the FIFA World Cup has declined to accommodate a qualifying national team, forcing a neighboring co-host to step in as a diplomatic intermediary [2, 3].
“"I have no issue with my country hosting Iran's World Cup team,"”
This logistical workaround highlights the friction between geopolitical tensions and the international requirements of sporting events. By utilizing Tijuana as a hub, Mexico is asserting a neutral diplomatic role, while the U.S. is maintaining a strict policy against hosting the Iranian delegation, potentially risking friction with FIFA's hosting standards.
