Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has agreed to allow Iran to be based in the country during the World Cup. She claimed the US was unwilling to host them.
Sheinbaum said her government was approached by Fifa after the US made it clear it did not want Iran’s squad to stay in the country during the tournament.
“We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said.
“The United States does not want the Iranian team to stay overnight, but they are going to play three matches there.
“So they asked us: ‘Can they stay overnight in Mexico?’ And we said: ‘Yes, no problem.’ We have no problem.”
Fifa Confirms Tijuana Training Base
Fifa confirmed Iran’s training base will be at Centro Xoloitzcuintle in Tijuana, Mexico.
Iran were originally given Tucson, Arizona as their World Cup base. All three of their matches are scheduled to take place in the US.
However, the ongoing war in the Middle East and related security concerns had led to uncertainty around their participation.
Iran’s World Cup Schedule
Iran are scheduled to play New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, both in Los Angeles. They will also face Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
Iran are currently preparing for the tournament in Antalya, southern Turkey.
Visa Assurances and Restrictions
Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali confirmed Fifa has said the Iran squad will be given visas to play in the US this summer.
“The Fifa president promised us that all our players would receive visas. There is no reason why our players should not receive visas,” he said.
The Iranian FA (FFIRI) had presented Fifa with a list of 10 conditions for their participation at the World Cup, including allowing players, coaches and officials who have completed military service with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to receive visas.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Iran’s players will be welcome at the tournament. However, individuals with links to the IRGC could face entry restrictions.
Past Visa Issues
Taj was one of a number of FFIRI officials turned away at the Canadian border before April’s Fifa annual congress in Vancouver.
Canada’s immigration minister told parliament his visa was cancelled because of links to the IRGC.
Some members of the squad went to the US embassy in Ankara on Thursday to submit visa applications for the tournament.
The BBC has contacted the White House and Fifa for comment.