Iran World Cup squad to reach Mexico Sunday

Iran's national football team, known as Team Melli, will arrive in Mexico early Sunday to begin their preparations for the FIFA World Cup. The squad is scheduled to depart from their training camp in Antalya, Turkey, on Saturday and land in Tijuana, Mexico, at 1:30 am on Sunday.

The team's journey has been complicated by the ongoing need for U.S. visas. The players have been training in Turkey since May 18 and are still awaiting these crucial documents. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is set to run from June 11 to July 19.

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The Iran national football team will depart Antalya for Tijuana at 15:20 (1220 GMT) on Saturday, June 6, and is scheduled to arrive in Mexico at 1:30 am (0730 GMT) on Sunday, June 7.

Due to the complexities surrounding U.S. visas, Iran's World Cup base has been shifted from Tucson, Arizona, to the Mexican border city of Tijuana. This decision, announced by football federation chief Mehdi Taj, reflects the ongoing tensions that have affected the visa process. Taj had previously indicated that visas for Mexico would be issued by Tuesday or Wednesday, followed by U.S. visas.

Iran has been drawn into Group G of the tournament. Their schedule includes matches against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles on June 15 and 21, respectively, followed by a game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. Before their departure, Iran will play a final friendly match against Mali in Antalya on Thursday, having recently defeated Gambia 3-1.

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The players were expected to get their visas for Mexico either on Tuesday or Wednesday “and then a US visa will be issued quickly”.