• Mexico will host the Iranian national football team during the 2026 World Cup.
• The U.S. declined to host the team due to visa restrictions.
• The Iranian squad will be based in Tijuana, Mexico.
• The team aims to avoid complications from U.S. immigration policies.
• This marks Iran's fourth consecutive qualification for the World Cup.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Mexico will host the Iranian national football team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the United States opted not to accommodate them. FIFA approached Mexico after the U.S. stated it did not want the Iranian team in its territory, despite Iran needing to play all three of its group matches in U.S. stadiums, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

In her daily press conference, Sheinbaum stated, "We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico." The Iranian team will be based in Tijuana, which is strategically chosen to ease travel between their group matches in Los Angeles and Seattle. The location change will also help avoid visa-related complications, as noted by Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

The head of Iran's football federation, Mehdi Taj, confirmed that the relocation of the team's base from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana was endorsed by FIFA to mitigate visa issues. He also mentioned that Iranian flights will facilitate direct travel to their training base, thus simplifying logistics for the upcoming matches, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Iran's participation in the World Cup has been under a cloud of uncertainty due to the recent tensions between the U.S. and Iran. The Iranian team was originally slated to establish a base in Arizona; however, the U.S. administration's stated reluctance to host the team underlies broader diplomatic challenges. Notably, the Iranian squad is set to play their first two matches in the U.S., intensifying the significance of the arrangements with Mexico, as mentioned by Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.