SOCCER: Iran's World Cup uncertainty leaves Tucson training facility in limbo

TUCSON, Arizona – Eighteen months of preparation hang in the balance at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, where organizers remain in daily contact with FIFA about hosting Iran’s national soccer team, even as geopolitical turmoil threatens their World Cup plans.

Iran is scheduled to play its World Cup group stage matches on U.S. soil – two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle – with Tucson’s sprawling sports complex selected as the team’s base camp for the June 11–July 19 tournament.

Those plans were thrown into doubt after last weekend’s U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The campaign entered its sixth day on Thursday.

“We do know there’s a lot of geopolitical activity going on right now,” Sarah Horvath, director of the Kino Sports Complex, told Reuters. “That being said, we are in communication daily with FIFA. Team Iran is still coming here as of right now, and we look forward to hosting them.”

Economic Boost for Southern Arizona

Iran qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup and was drawn into Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.

Teams could choose from a curated list of FIFA-approved cities for training camps. Last month, it was announced that Iran, ranked 20th in the world, selected the Kino Sports Complex.

The facility, which opened in 1998 and was originally built for Major League Baseball Spring Training, spans over 300 acres and features 22 soccer fields, including a professional-level stadium. It is also home to USL League Two side FC Tucson.

“Having a World Cup team train at our complex is a big economic driver for the area,” Horvath said, noting that the selection process to become an official base camp took 18 months.

She acknowledged the potential disappointment and financial impact on Southern Arizona if the site goes unused but expressed hope for an alternative.

“If it’s not Iran, we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to get another team here,” she said.

Security Measures Standard for Any Team

FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for updates on Iran’s World Cup status or the possibility of assigning another team to Tucson.

Horvath emphasized that security measures would remain the same for any team and that the complex is coordinating with local and federal law enforcement.

Earlier this week, Iran’s soccer chief Mehdi Taj said U.S. and Israeli attacks “did not augur well” for the World Cup, noting that senior officials would evaluate the situation before taking action.

In recent decades, no qualified team has withdrawn from the World Cup finals. If Iran pulls out, it is almost certain they would be replaced to preserve the 48-team tournament format.

For now, Tucson waits – hopeful but uncertain – as global events beyond its control will determine whether months of preparation will culminate in welcoming a World Cup team or scrambling to fill an unexpected void.

Hosting Iran Is a ‘Challenging Situation’

Jon Pearlman, founder and president of FC Tucson, a community partner in the bid to make Kino a training base, struck an optimistic note.

“We’re very optimistic that they’re going to train here. We think it’s going to happen,” he said, citing ongoing conversations with Horvath and FIFA.

Pearlman acknowledged that hosting Iran was always expected to be “a challenging situation” given current tensions. He said his focus remains on what the organizers can control: ensuring any visiting team is safe and respected as athletes competing “for sporting purposes, not political ones.”

Not everyone shares that confidence. Lucas Gebremariam, owner of nearby Zerai’s International Bar, said he would welcome the Iranian team but doubted they would arrive in Tucson.

“Honestly, it feels pretty certain that they will not come,” Gebremariam said. “I’m not holding out much hope or optimism with the political climate the way it is right now.”

Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters