Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that she has “no issue” with her country hosting Iran’s World Cup team, following the relocation of its training base from the United States to Mexico for the upcoming summer soccer competition.
Background of the Move
The Iranian national team will still play its scheduled matches in the United States, but its base camp has been shifted to Tijuana, Mexico, just south of San Diego, California, according to Iran’s soccer federation. This development occurs against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Iran, which the U.S. and Israel initiated on February 28.
Sheinbaum’s Remarks
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Sheinbaum revealed that a FIFA representative informed her that the United States was reluctant to have the Iranian soccer team spend time outside of match days on U.S. territory. “The United States doesn’t want the Iranian national team to stay overnight in the United States,” Sheinbaum told reporters. She added that the FIFA representative then asked, “Can they stay overnight in Mexico?” To which she responded, “Yes, no problem. We have no issue with that.”
World Cup Schedule
Iran’s soccer team is scheduled to play matches in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand on June 15, against Belgium six days later, and against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle. Before the war erupted, the team had originally planned to set up its base in Tucson, Arizona. However, with rising tensions, the Iranian federation announced over the weekend that the base would move to Tijuana, a decision confirmed by Sheinbaum. The federation stated that it had received approval from FIFA, though the global soccer body has not yet officially confirmed the move.
Team Base Camps
Teams typically use base camps to train before and after matches. This year’s World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19 and is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The possibility of relocating Iran’s base had been discussed for months amid uncertainty surrounding the Middle Eastern war and security concerns. U.S. sanctions on Iran were also likely to complicate the team’s stay in the United States.
U.S. Response
The U.S. State Department issued a statement on Monday saying that President Donald Trump had made it clear the Iranian team was welcome to participate in the tournament. However, the statement did not address where the team might stay or Sheinbaum’s comments. Sheinbaum noted that her government is working with FIFA to finalize all details before the competition begins.
