The U.S. has forbidden Iran to stay overnite for the FIFA Wrld Cup games

Is Iran forbidden to stay overnite for the FIFA world cup games?

Yes, the United States has barred the Iranian national football team from staying overnight on American soil during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. [1, 2]

As a result, FIFA officially approved a relocation of Team Melli's tournament base camp. [1, 2]

Relocation to Mexico

The team was originally scheduled to be based in Tucson, Arizona. Because the U.S. government declined to grant permission for an extended or overnight stay on U.S. territory, the team has adapted with the following logistics: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

• The Tijuana Base: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to host the squad. Iran’s main training camp and accommodation will be in Tijuana, Mexico, just across the southern border from San Diego. [1, 2]
• Cross-Border Match Days: Because FIFA denied Iran's request to completely move their matches to Mexico, the team must commute. They will fly into the U.S. exclusively on match days and return to Mexico immediately after the final whistle blows to sleep. [1, 2, 3]

Impact on Group G Schedule

The team faces a demanding travel itinerary, as all three of their group-stage matches are held in U.S. cities. Geographically, Tijuana provides a brief 55-minute flight to their games in Southern California, though their final match requires a longer trip to the Pacific Northwest. [1, 2, 3]

Date (2026) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]	Opponent	Venue	Travel Logistics
June 15	New Zealand	Los Angeles Stadium, CA	Fly from Tijuana to LA; return post-match.
June 21	Belgium	Los Angeles Stadium, CA	Fly from Tijuana to LA; return post-match.
June 26	Egypt	Seattle Stadium, WA	Fly from Tijuana to Seattle; return post-match.

U.S. Visa Standoff

While the team's travel to Mexico is finalized for their June 7 arrival, the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI) is in a tense negotiation regarding U.S. entry documentation. The U.S. State Department has noted that players and core athletic staff are welcome, but U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that any delegation members with ties to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will be blocked from entering. The FFIRI has demanded multiple-entry visas for the whole squad to accommodate the cross-border commute, threatening to halt their final travel if full clearance isn't provided. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]