Overview
- FIFA cleared Iran to use Club Tijuana’s Estadio Caliente as its official 2026 World Cup training base, a move confirmed in late May and welcomed publicly by Iran’s embassy.
- Iran’s ambassador and federation officials say U.S. visas for players, staff and supporters are still under review and have not been approved, leaving cross-border travel plans dependent on consular decisions.
- Mexican authorities have mounted federal security operations, including Guardia Nacional deployments, around the Caliente complex to protect the Iranian delegation while it trains in Tijuana.
- U.S. federal agencies including ICE, HSI, CBP and the FBI have signaled daily deployments to tournament venues, and migrant-rights groups in Los Angeles have protested accreditation data practices and urged FIFA to demand privacy and rights guarantees.
- The arrangement aims to let Iran fly or cross the San Diego border to reach U.S. match cities, a logistical workaround that highlights how geopolitical tensions, visa rules and SEAR 1 security planning could affect players, fans and venue workers.