Tag: Arizona

Review of Iran’s training camp in Arizona.

Team Melli’s camp in the United States will be based in Tuscon , Arizona. While the reasons behind the selection of this site is unclear, it is nevertheless a fully equipped training center with a football stadium, a baseball field, and many training facilities.

Kino Sports Complex is the largest sports and entertainment venue in Southern Arizona.

The complex plays host to numerous sports, entertainment, cultural and business events every year. Professional sports teams like FC Tucson Soccer Club call Kino Sports Complex home. Major League Soccer has made the Complex its preseason training home as well as the site of the annual Desert Diamond Cup tournament.

Visiting international sports teams from Mexico, Korea, and now, Iran , also use the Kino Sports Complex for off-season training and preseason games. Cultural and entertainment events like the annual Gem and Mineral Show and KFMA Day concert all call Kino Sports Complex home. Numerous youth and amateur sports leagues also use the facility throughout the year.

Originally built as a home for Major League Baseball Spring Training, Pima County has invested millions of dollars since to 2012 to transform Kino Sports Complex into a premier multi-use complex suitable for a variety of professional and amateur sports and cultural events.

Team Melli departs to Turkey.

TEHRAN – Team Melli, the Iranian national football team, departed for Antalya, Turkey, this morning (Monday, May 18, 2026) to commence a crucial training camp and a friendly match against Gambia. The provisional squad consists of 30 players, 22 domestic-based and eight legionnaires. However, with FIFA mandating a final roster of just 26 players, four will be cut following the camp.

Upon concluding their Turkish preparations, the squad is scheduled to move to their U.S. base at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona, in early June, before heading to California for their first two World Cup matches. Team Melli manager Mohammad Nabi has indicated the possibility of facing another African side after Gambia, while expressing hope that the previously canceled friendly against Puerto Rico, originally planned on U.S. soil, might be revived.

Visa Hurdles Loom Large

Yet overshadowing these plans is a growing concern over entry to the United States. As of now, no member of the Iranian delegation, players or staff, has been granted permission to enter the country. The possibility that some staff members or players could be denied a U.S. visa remains very real, casting a pall over the team’s logistical preparations.

When asked whether FIFA had secured any assurances regarding entry and visa arrangements for Iran’s players, FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom declined to elaborate. His reticence signaled that the world football governing body may have little to no influence on such matters, despite public assurances previously given by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

A Troubling Precedent

Compounding these anxieties is the recent experience of Mehdi Taj, the head of Iran’s football federation, who encountered significant difficulties entering Canada for a FIFA conference. Although Canada is only fractionally less hostile to Iran than the United States, the incident serves as a stark warning of the type of challenges the Iranian delegation will likely face when attempting to enter North America.

For a squad already grappling with a plethora of issues, ranging from finalizing the roster to managing political pressures and logistical hurdles, the threat of visa denials represents an added burden before a single ball is even kicked in the World Cup.