Iran’s World Cup camp in Mexico runs under heavy security after U.S. plan collapses

Iran’s national team has had to move its final pre-World Cup training camp to Tijuana, Mexico, after the original plan to train in the United States was scrapped. The team is preparing for the opening of the 2026 World Cup in unusually secretive conditions, with strict security and the training schedule kept confidential.

The squad is staying at a facility owned by local club Club Tijuana, which is guarded by armed personnel. Mexican reports said open vehicles carrying security officers with machine guns were seen around Estadio Caliente, and access to the compound is tightly controlled. The relocation followed the cancellation of the Arizona camp.

The article says the move came amid security and political concerns, along with the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policy, which created visa problems for some members of the Iranian delegation. Even so, local hosts tried to welcome the team: Club Tijuana staff displayed a Persian sign reading, “The Iranian cheetahs, welcome to Tijuana.” Fans also gathered outside the team hotel to meet the players and ask for autographs.

Iran’s sporting preparations were also disrupted. Friendly matches planned against Puerto Rico and Grenada were canceled, and instead Iran played an exhibition against Club Tijuana’s youth team, winning 3-0. The team continues its World Cup buildup in Tijuana under conditions far removed from a normal training camp.