Body discovered near Iran's World Cup team base in violence-plagued Tijuana
Decomposed body found near Iran's Tijuana training facility as the city faces record violence levels.
Event / Sports
2026 FIFA World Cup
Iran national football team's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including relocation from Arizona training facility to Los Angeles due to US tensions, and first group match against New Zealand.
2 reported locations
Daily activity
0 articles0 articles
2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 13 Jun, 12:36 UTC
Follow the documented timeline or explore the related reporting.
What happened
Decomposed body discovered in vehicle near Iran's World Cup training facility in Tijuana
A decomposed body was found on Friday in the trunk of a Toyota SUV parked at a supermarket parking lot directly across from Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico, where the Iranian national football team trains during the World Cup. The vehicle, registered in California, had been parked at the location since Wednesday. Police discovered a person wrapped in a black bag showing signs of violence. Authorities have not established a connection between the discovery and the Iranian team's presence.
Tijuana records over 1,200 homicides in 2025
Tijuana, a border city in northwestern Mexico, experienced more than 1,200 homicides in 2025, making it one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico. The city is severely affected by drug trafficking and organized crime.
Iran national team to play opening World Cup match against New Zealand
Iran's national football team is scheduled to play its first group stage match against New Zealand on Monday in Los Angeles as part of the World Cup jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Iran's World Cup team relocated to Tijuana due to regional tensions
The Iranian national football team, known as Team Melli, established its World Cup base camp in Tijuana, a border city near California, after abandoning its originally planned location in Arizona due to regional tensions with the United States. The team receives enhanced security protection with Mexican National Guard vehicles escorting players daily between their hotel and training facility.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives
Iran relocates World Cup team to Tijuana ahead of tournament
Iran relocated its World Cup team to Tijuana ahead of opening match versus New Zealand in Los Angeles.