FIFA has confirmed the official base camps for all 48 nations qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, finalising a major part of preparations for the tournament to be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Among the latest developments is the decision involving Iran national football team, who will now establish their tournament headquarters in the Mexican city of Tijuana despite playing all three of their scheduled group matches in the United States.
The confirmation of all team camps provides participating nations with clarity over travel arrangements, training schedules and acclimatisation plans one year before the competition begins.
Several countries have opted to use university campuses or facilities linked to Major League Soccer clubs as their operational bases during the tournament.
World champions Argentina national football team will work from the Sporting KC Training Centre in Kansas City, while Brazil national football team have selected the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area as their headquarters.
Ghana national football team will be based at Bryant University in the Boston area as the Black Stars prepare for their return to football’s biggest tournament.
Elsewhere, France national football team have chosen Bentley University in Boston, while England national football team will operate from Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City.
Senegal national football team are set to stay at Rutgers University in the New York-New Jersey region.
Other African representatives have also confirmed their locations, with Morocco national football team selecting the New York-New Jersey area, Algeria national football team moving into the University of Kansas facilities in Kansas City, and DR Congo national football team establishing camp in Houston.
Tournament co-hosts Mexico national football team will remain in familiar surroundings by basing themselves at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento in Mexico City.
The announcement follows months of inspections and logistical planning by FIFA and participating federations as organisers prepared for the largest World Cup in history.
The 2026 tournament will be the first edition to feature 48 teams, expanding from the previous 32-nation format. The competition will also be the first men’s World Cup to be jointly hosted by three countries.
By confirming the base camps now, teams are expected to intensify their planning around travel, recovery and climate adaptation ahead of a tournament spread across a vast geographical area.
The choice of locations is likely to play a significant role in helping teams manage the demands of travel between host cities while maintaining consistent training conditions throughout the competition.
The official confirmation also allows coaching staff and support teams to finalise operational details well in advance of the opening match next year.
A post on social media by football journalist Ben Jacobs highlighted the completion of the process, stating: “All 48 World Cup base camps are now finalised as FIFA confirm Iran have moved to Mexico. Their three games in America remain unchanged.”
