Iran’s World Cup preparations were overshadowed after Mexican authorities discovered a body near the team’s training base in Tijuana ahead of their tournament opener
07:43 ET, 13 Jun 2026Updated 09:59 ET, 13 Jun 2026
A body has been found near Iran’s World Cup training base
A decomposing body was found in a vehicle parked near Iran’s World Cup training centre in Tijuana, local authorities have confirmed.
The discovery was made in a supermarket car park directly opposite the facility being used by Iran during the 2026 World Cup. The vehicle had reportedly been left there for several days before authorities were alerted by a strong smell coming from inside.
According to the Tijuana prosecutor’s office, officers responding to the scene discovered a body in the trunk of a grey Toyota SUV, which has reportedly been there since last Wednesday “Upon inspecting the vehicle, they found a person wrapped in a black bag in the trunk, showing signs of violence,” authorities said in an initial statement. It comes just days after another sickening incident outside England’s training camp in Kansas City.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim, and investigators continue to work to determine the circumstances surrounding the death as the case remains ongoing.
While the discovery has understandably drawn attention around Iran’s World Cup base, preparations inside the camp have continued uninterrupted as the team focuses on its tournament opener.
Iran had initially planned to set up its training camp in Arizona, but was forced to relocate to Mexico due to visa and travel restrictions affecting members of the Iranian delegation. The squad is currently based in Tijuana and will travel into the United States for its World Cup fixtures.
Iran arrived in Tijuana last week and has been training at Club Tijuana’s facilities while navigating the logistical challenges caused by the visa dispute. Several federation officials and support staff were reportedly denied entry visas to the United States, prompting FIFA and tournament organisers to approve a Mexico-based training camp for the duration of the group stage.
Iran’s preparations remain uninterrupted despite the discovery nearby
Drawn in Group G, Iran will face Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand as it bids to reach the knockout stages. Earlier this week, The Iranian Football Federation issued a strongly worded statement after supporters were informed that their ticket allocation for World Cup matches had been revoked.
Regarding the decision to remove the ticket allocation that had allowed supporters to purchase match tickets, the federation said in a statement: “With less than 3 days left until the start of the 2026 World Cup, unfortunately, in a series of decisions and actions outside the conventional sporting frameworks by the host country. This time the United States has attempted to sabotage the presence of Iranian fans in the stadium where the national team will be playing 3 games in the group stage of the 23rd World Cup.
“According to the regulations and common procedures set by FIFA, 8% of the ticket capacity for each match is allocated to the federations participating in the World Cup so that fans from each country can purchase tickets through an official mechanism and in coordination with their respective federations. However, in an unexpected move, the quota allocated to the Iranian Football Federation has been withdrawn from this complex, and under the current circumstances, it is not possible to provide even a single ticket to the fans of the national team through the federation.
“This is despite the fact that many Iranian football enthusiasts had made the necessary plans to attend the tournament venue, trusting in the officially announced process. Depriving Iranian fans of access to the legal and official quota of allocated tickets is contrary to the spirit of international competitions and the principle of equality between participating countries.”
It comes after Tom Cruise’s behavior during the USA national anthem left World Cup viewers crying.