The Irã selection announced this Saturday (23) the transfer of its training center to Copa from Mundo in 2026. The delegation will leave Tucson, in Arizona, and will settle in Tijuana, in México. The change was approved by FIFA after negotiations between Federação Iraniana and Futebol, directors of the highest football entity and the tournament organization.
Segundo Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian federation, the conversations that resulted in approval took place in Istambul with FIFA directors and also in Teerã, via videoconference, with the entity’s secretary general. The decision reflects concerns about security and instability in the region caused by the conflict involving Irã, Estados Unidos and Israel.
Official FIFA Aprovação has not yet been confirmed
Mehdi Taj confirmed in a statement that the request to transfer the training base has been accepted. Ele detailed that all training centers for teams participating in Copa and Mundo require approval from FIFA. The Iranian federation sent formal requests and held crucial meetings to achieve approval.
Apesar of the announcement made by the Iranian federation, FIFA has not yet officially confirmed the change. Esse administrative step is expected in the coming days, giving public validation to the agreement already reached between the parties.
Segurança as the central reason for the change
The transfer takes place in the context of geopolitical tensions in Oriente Médio. Iranian Imprensa pointed out that security concerns directly influenced the decision to abandon Tucson. The state of Arizona, close to the Mexican border, would be less suitable for the Iranian delegation in the face of conflicts.
Tijuana offers strategic location. The Mexican city is on the border with Estados Unidos, but is in neutral territory from the point of view of regional tensions that affect Irã. Essa choice also allows the delegation to maintain proximity to the stadiums where Irã will play its matches.
Calendário and debut of the Iranian national team
Irã is part of Grupo G from Copa from Mundo from 2026. Sua’s debut in the tournament is scheduled for June 15, when they will face Nova Zelândia in Inglewood, in Califórnia.
Estrutura of Irã’s participation in Copa:
- Adversários of Grupo G:Nova Zelândia, European team to be defined, Ásia or Oceania team
- Primeira match:June 15th vs Nova Zelândia on Inglewood
- Local training:Tijuana, México
- Proximidade with stadiums:about 100 miles from Inglewood
- Outros possible opponents:North American, European and Asian teams in the group stage
Processo negotiator involving FIFA and federations
The Iranian federation described a complex process of negotiations that led to approval. The request was not accepted immediately. Foram required face-to-face meetings at Istambul and virtual conversations at Teerã so that FIFA officials understood the situation and authorized the change.
The FIFA secretary general participated in a virtual conversation with representatives of the Iranian federation. Esse high-level dialogue suggests that security issues were taken seriously by football’s governing body. Alterações Logistics of this magnitude in preparation for Copa of Mundo typically involve detailed risk and feasibility analyses.
The change from Tucson to Tijuana represents a significant adjustment to the operations of the Iranian delegation. Infraestrutura, accommodation, transportation and security were resized to the new Mexican base.
