Iran shift World Cup base camp from US to Mexico

LONDON: Iran’s World Cup training base has been moved from the United States to Mexico with the approval of FIFA, the president of the governing body of Iranian soccer said Saturday.

FIFA has not yet confirmed the move, which was announced by Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation.

“All team base camps for countries participating in the World Cup must be approved FIFA,” Taj said in a statement. “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.”

The Iranian team had been scheduled to hold its base camp, which is used for training ahead of and after matches, at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz., but the war in the Middle East and related security concerns had caused uncertainty about Iran’s World Cup activities.

“We will be based in the Tijuana camp, which is near the Pacific Ocean and on the border between Mexico and the United States,” Taj said in a video posted on the federation’s Telegram social media account, noting the move could resolve potential visa issues with the team entering the U.S. through Mexico.

Iranian officials said earlier this month their players and staff had not yet received U.S. visas.

The World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, runs from June 11 through July 19.

As part of Group G, Iran is set to play its first two matches in Los Angeles, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, with a June 26 matchup against Egypt in Seattle.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

المصدر: New Straits Times