The Iranian national football team is putting the final touches on their pre-tournament preparations as they gear up for a major logistics shift ahead of the 2026 World Cup. According to an official team statement obtained by Zoyols Blog, Team Melli will wrap up their training camp in Antalya, Turkey, and depart for Tijuana, Mexico, on Saturday afternoon. The squad is scheduled to touch down on Mexican soil early Sunday morning, establishing their base of operations there for the duration of the tournament.
This travel plan comes after a period of intense preparation in the southern Turkish resort town, where the players have been training since mid-May. The lead-up to their departure has been highly productive on the pitch, highlighted by a convincing 3-1 victory over Gambia last week. Before packing their bags for North America, the team will play one final warm-up friendly against Mali on Thursday afternoon.
The shift to Mexico represents a tactical adjustment forced by geopolitical realities. Originally, Iran’s football federation had planned to base the team in Tucson, Arizona. However, regional conflict earlier this year led to significant visa complications with the United States government. While a ceasefire was established in April, the resulting diplomatic friction prompted Iranian football chief Mehdi Taj to pivot, officially moving the team’s base camp across the border to Tijuana.
Securing the necessary travel documents has been a race against the clock. Iranian football officials indicated earlier this week that they expected the Mexican visas to be finalized ahead of their flight, which routes through Spain. The federation remains optimistic that the subsequent American visas will be processed quickly once the team is on the ground in Mexico, though confirmation of their approval remains pending.
The stakes are incredibly high for Team Melli as they prepare for the tournament kickoff on June 11. Drawn into a challenging Group G, the Iranian squad faces a grueling schedule on American soil. They are set to open their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by a high-profile clash with Belgium at the same venue on June 21, before traveling to Seattle to wrap up the group stage against Egypt on June 26.
