Body found outside Iran World Cup training base before first game

Local authorities have confirmed the discovery of a decomposing body found inside a vehicle parked near Iran’s World Cup training facility in Tijuana.

The grim find was made in a supermarket parking lot directly across from the base being utilized by Iran ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The vehicle had reportedly sat in the lot for several days before officials were alerted by a powerful odor emanating from within.

The Tijuana prosecutor’s office reported that officers responding to the scene uncovered a body in the trunk of a gray Toyota SUV, which had allegedly been parked there since last Wednesday. “Upon inspecting the vehicle, they found a person wrapped in a black bag in the trunk, showing signs of violence,” authorities stated in an initial release. It comes after USMNT head coach gets call from Trump just hours before first World Cup game.

The identity of the victim has not yet been disclosed by authorities, and investigators are continuing efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the death as the case remains active.

Although the discovery has naturally drawn scrutiny toward Iran’s World Cup headquarters, operations inside the camp have proceeded without disruption as the team remains focused on its upcoming tournament opener.

Iran had originally intended to establish its training camp in Arizona, but was compelled to relocate to Mexico due to visa and travel restrictions impacting members of the Iranian delegation. The squad is currently stationed in Tijuana and will cross into the United States for its World Cup matches.

Iran touched down in Tijuana last week and has been using Club Tijuana’s training grounds while dealing with the complications stemming from the visa controversy. Multiple federation officials and support personnel were allegedly refused entry visas to the United States, leading FIFA and tournament organizers to greenlight a Mexico-based training facility for the group stage period.

Placed in Group G, Iran will take on Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in its quest to advance to the knockout rounds. Earlier this week, The Iranian Football Federation released a sharply critical statement after fans learned their ticket allocation for World Cup fixtures had been cancelled.

Addressing the decision to withdraw the ticket allocation that had permitted fans to buy match tickets, the federation stated: “With less than 3 days left until the start of the 2026 World Cup, unfortunately, in a series of decisions and actions outside the conventional sporting frameworks by the host country. This time the United States has attempted to sabotage the presence of Iranian fans in the stadium where the national team will be playing 3 games in the group stage of the 23rd World Cup.

“According to the regulations and common procedures set by FIFA, 8% of the ticket capacity for each match is allocated to the federations participating in the World Cup so that fans from each country can purchase tickets through an official mechanism and in coordination with their respective federations. However, in an unexpected move, the quota allocated to the Iranian Football Federation has been withdrawn from this complex, and under the current circumstances, it is not possible to provide even a single ticket to the fans of the national team through the federation.

“This is despite the fact that many Iranian football enthusiasts had made the necessary plans to attend the tournament venue, trusting in the officially announced process. Depriving Iranian fans of access to the legal and official quota of allocated tickets is contrary to the spirit of international competitions and the principle of equality between participating countries.”