The Iranian national team was scheduled to set up its camp in Tucson, Arizona, before deciding to move its residence to the border city of Tijuana, close to American territory.

The head of the Iranian Football Federation, Mehdi Taj, said that the decision came after meetings with FIFA officials and the World Cup organizing committee, stressing that the step would help overcome any potential problems related to visas and transportation.
The Iranian national team plays in Group Seven, opening its participation by facing the New Zealand national football team in California, before facing the Belgium national football team and then the Egyptian national football team in Seattle.

Iran is participating in the World Cup for the fourth time in a row and the seventh in its history, but it has not yet succeeded in getting beyond the first round.