Iran are moving their World Cup base camp from the United States to co-hosts Mexico because the US did not want to host them, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday.
Sheinbaum said her government was asked by the ruling body FIFA because “the United States does not want the Iranian team to stay overnight” although they play their three group matches there.
“They asked us: ‘Can they stay overnight in Mexico?’ And we said: ‘Yes, no problem. We have no problem,” Sheinbaum said.
Iran were originally due to have their base camp in Tucson, Arizona. They are now to stay in the Mexican city of Tijuana on the US border.
Sheinbaum said that the details are being finalised and a FIFA statement late Monday named Tijuana as Iran’s base camp.
Iran FA president Mehdi Taj had said the change was made because Los Angeles, where they play against Belgium and New Zealand, is close to Tijuana. The other game against Egypt is in Seattle.
Taj has also said that problems regarding visas and entry have been all but solved.
Iran is in a military conflict with the US since the end of February which had raised questions about the team’s entry into the US.
Iran football officials recently met with those from FIFA in Istanbul to discuss their participation at the June 11-July 19 tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada.