Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum didn't need long to decide. When FIFA came to her asking whether Iran's national team could use Tijuana as their base for the 2026 World Cup, her answer was simple: "We have no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico."
That one sentence ended weeks of genuine uncertainty. The US had made its position clear — Donald Trump said he had no issue with Iran playing in the tournament, but added that the US couldn't guarantee the team's "life and safety" for overnight stays. So Iran's Football Federation chief Mehdi Taj confirmed the shift: Arizona is out, Tijuana is in. It resolves both the accommodation problem and the visa complications in one move.
The circus around the qualification
None of this happened in a vacuum. Geopolitical tension between the US, Israel, and Iran had been hanging over Iran's participation since the moment the 2026 draw was made. The fact that two of their three group games are in Los Angeles — against New Zealand on June 15 and then Belgium — made the situation feel combustible for a long time.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei was direct about what his players went through just to get here: "Look at the capabilities of other teams, and you will see that the players were able to achieve this qualification through difficult circumstances." Winning the decider against Uzbekistan while this cloud was hanging over the program wasn't nothing.
And through all of it, Mehdi Taremi kept showing up. The Inter Milan striker has been managing his body carefully since joining the San Siro, but Ghalenoei singled him out bluntly: "I am happy that, in most games, he is the best player on the field from the Iranian national team." When your trump card is a 31-year-old striker nursing his fitness through an Italian season, the margins are tight — and so are any odds built around Iran progressing.
The record is what it is
Iran are ranked 21st globally and are a genuine force in Asian football. This is their fourth consecutive World Cup and seventh overall. None of that changes what the numbers show: 18 appearances across six tournaments, 3 wins, 11 defeats, 4 draws, zero round-of-16 appearances.
Their best shot came in Russia 2018 — they drew Portugal, lost narrowly to Spain, and went home. Group G this year features New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. On paper, there's a route. Belgium are no longer the Golden Generation, and Egypt are beatable.
But Iran have had "routes" before. The group stage is where they live, and Tijuana base camp or not, nothing in their tournament history suggests that changes without Taremi being at his absolute best from minute one.
