Iran's late request to change their World Cup base has been granted by FIFA, according to Iran Football Federation President Mehdi Taj, as reported by sportbible.com. The decision comes amid ongoing peace deal talks between Iran and the United States.
Security Concerns and Initial Threats
Doubts surrounding Iran's participation in the 48-team tournament had persisted due to the ongoing conflict with the United States. The country faced major security fears after being placed on Donald Trump's banned list. Iran, initially set to boycott December's World Cup draw over visa issues, has been placed in Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt.
Air strikes in February prompted Iran to threaten a withdrawal from the competition. They were also refused access to a World Cup meeting. Although Iran later committed to participating, significant concerns remained, as all three of their group-stage games are scheduled to take place in a country with which they have been at war.
Request to Move Games Denied
Iran had previously asked for their matches to be relocated to Mexico, but FIFA rejected the request due to what they described as "complicated" logistics. However, a separate request to move Iran's World Cup headquarters from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, has now been approved.
Official Announcement
The announcement was made by Iran football chief Taj in a statement on Saturday. "All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by FIFA," Taj said. "Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in Tehran with the respected FIFA secretary general, our request to change the team's base from the United States to Mexico was approved."
Training and Upcoming Matches
Iranian players are currently in Turkey for a training camp ahead of their opening match against New Zealand on June 15 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. They will return to the same venue six days later to face Belgium. Iran will conclude their group stage campaign against Egypt on June 27.
The base change could prove convenient, as a flight from Tijuana to Los Angeles takes only 55 minutes. Taj believes the team may be allowed to travel on Iran Air planes. Visa issues are expected to be resolved, as players and staff will only be in the United States for games before returning to Mexico.
Peace Deal Negotiations
Following a ceasefire agreed after the initial conflict, the United States and Iran are currently negotiating a peace deal. Trump stated that the deal has been "largely negotiated," with "final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed." This development came after a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which Trump described as having gone "very well."
