Amid Conflict, Tucson Prepares to Host Iran's World Cup Team

As a conflict between the United States and Iran continues, the city of Tucson, Arizona, is pressing ahead with preparations to host Iran's national football team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The team is expected to arrive two weeks before its opening match against New Zealand on June 15, according to multiple reports.

Sarah Hanna, director of the Kino Sports Complex where the team will train, told AFP that the facility is ready. "We're just excited to host them here, and we're going to give them a positive experience," she said. Grass is being watered and cut to FIFA-regulation height, hotel rooms and meeting spaces are locked in, and security is tight. Hanna noted she averages 12 to 20 meetings per week regarding the training facility, including sessions with FIFA officials.

The preparations come against the backdrop of a war that reports describe as being between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other. The conflict is now in its 11th or 12th week, depending on the source, and a ceasefire has been in place for about a month, though hostilities remain unresolved. Iran has reportedly virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, and US warships have been described as menacing Iranian oil tankers in the waterway.

President Donald Trump has reportedly demanded "complete victory" in the conflict, while also casting doubt on the safety of the Iranian team in the US, suggesting it might not be a good idea for them to participate. The Iranian football federation president has announced the team will participate but laid out a list of requirements, according to reports.

Despite the tensions, FIFA has insisted the team will take part in the tournament as planned, and Tucson has continued its preparations. "As far as we're concerned, it's 100 percent on, and it's never been off," Hanna said. "Since they've been identified as the team, we've been moving forward as them as our team, until we hear something different from FIFA."

Locals in Tucson appear to share Hanna's welcoming attitude. Reports suggest they are embracing the Iranian team's arrival and do not believe the US government will make them feel unwelcome or unsafe.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Iran's group-stage matches will take place in Los Angeles and Seattle, according to reports.

Key Claims

  • The Iranian football team will train at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (reported by multiple sources).
  • The team is expected to arrive two weeks before its opening game against New Zealand on June 15 (reported by one source).
  • The US and Israel are at war with Iran, which began around February 28 and is now in its 11th or 12th week (reported by multiple sources, with slight discrepancies in the timeline).
  • Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, and US warships are menacing Iranian oil tankers there (reported by multiple sources).
  • President Donald Trump has demanded "complete victory" in the conflict (reported by one source).
  • President Trump has cast doubt on the safety of the Iranian team in the US (reported by one source).
  • The Iranian football federation president has announced the team will participate but with conditions (reported by one source).
  • FIFA has insisted the team will participate as planned (reported by multiple sources).
  • Tucson locals are welcoming the Iranian team and do not expect the US government to make them feel unwelcome or unsafe (reported by one source).

Perspectives

The situation in Tucson reflects a broader tension between sports and geopolitics. Local organizers are focused on their role as hosts and remain optimistic, despite the conflict. FIFA's insistence that the team will participate suggests the tournament is being treated as separate from political disputes. However, the conflict's proximity — with a ceasefire holding but not fully resolving tensions — adds uncertainty. President Trump's reported comments about the team's safety and the Iranian federation's conditions indicate that diplomatic and security concerns could still affect the team's participation. The welcoming attitude of Tucson locals, as described in reports, suggests a desire to keep the World Cup a unifying event, even amid a wider war.

Note: This article is based on reporting from two sources, including AFP. Where sources disagreed on details such as the week count, the discrepancy is noted.