Iran’s national football team will arrive in Tijuana, Mexico, early Sunday as preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup enter their final phase.
Team Melli has trained in Antalya, Turkey, since May 18 and will leave for Mexico on Saturday.
According to the team’s schedule, the squad will depart Antalya at 3:20 p.m. local time and land in Tijuana at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.
Despite the upcoming trip, players continue to wait for US visas ahead of group-stage matches in the United States.
Iran Football Federation president Mehdi Taj said officials expected Mexican visas to arrive earlier this week, followed by a swift approval process for US entry permits. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether players have received the required documents.
Iran will use Tijuana as its World Cup base after federation officials abandoned plans to stay in Tucson, Arizona.
Rising tensions following the recent conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States prompted the change in location.
Before departure, Iran will play Mali in a final friendly match in Antalya on Thursday.
The team enters the fixture with confidence after securing a 3-1 victory over Gambia on May 29.
Iran will compete in Group G at the 2026 World Cup. The team will face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15 and Belgium in the same city on June 21.
Team Melli will then travel to Seattle for its final group match against Egypt on June 26.
The tournament, which the United States, Mexico and Canada will host jointly, will run from June 11 to July 19. Iran hopes to complete its travel arrangements quickly and focus fully on its World Cup campaign.
