Iran’s soccer team arrived in Mexico’s Tijuana city on Sunday – a stone’s throw from the US border – as Tehran criticized Washington over its visa restrictions.

By Emily Green TIJUANA, June 7 (Reuters) - Iran’s national soccer team arrived in Tijuana early on Sunday ahead of three World Cup matches in the United States, amid tensions that have turned the world’s biggest sporting event into a soft-power contest between the warring countries.

The Athletic's Adam Leventhal travelled to Iran's training base in Turkey and spent time following their final tournament preparations

Problems with processing visas had earlier led Iran to move its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico.

More than 200 members of the Iranian diaspora gathered outside Los Angeles Stadium on Sunday, waving Iran's pre-revolutionary "Lion and Sun" flags and protesting against the Iranian government ahead of Iran's first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

After months of doubts over their participation, Iran’s players have received visas for the United States just days before the World Cup begins.

Iran has finalized a 26-man World Cup squad to play in the United States this month. It includes 17 home-based players whose clubs have not play since February because of the Middle East regional war.

WASHINGTON, June 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers on Tuesday that the U.S. would not let Iranians with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) embed themselves in the country's delegation to take part in the soccer World Cup that begins this month.