PHOENIX — Iran’s soccer team says it has moved its base camp for the World Cup to Mexico from the United States after getting approval from FIFA, the president of the Iran Football Federation said Saturday in a statement.
FIFA has not confirmed the move.
The Iranian team originally was scheduled to train in Tucson, Arizona, but a move has been a possibility because of uncertainty surrounding the war in the Middle East and security concerns. Officials in Tucson had no comment.
The team said it now will be based in Tijuana, Mexico, just across the U.S. border.
“All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by FIFA,” said a statement attributed to Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation. “Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, as well as the webinar meeting we had yesterday in Tehran with the respected FIFA Secretary General, our request to change the team’s base from the United States to Mexico was approved.”
Iran is in Group G in the World Cup and will face New Zealand in its first game June 15 in Inglewood, California.
