Tucson will get a taste of the 2026 FIFA World Cup when Iran's national soccer team comes to train at Kino Sports Complex this summer.ย
Kino was selected as a team base camp training site Friday after first being considered in December 2024.ย
The Iranian team, IR Iran, will begin training in early June before heading to Los Angeles to play New Zealand on June 15, followed by Belgium on June 21 and taking on Egypt in Seattle on June 26, a Pima County news release said.ย
The team could remain at Kino through its Round of 32 match, if it advances.
โOur goal is to be a welcoming camp environment and provide the best possible experience for the team to prepare and be successful in the tournament,โย ย said Sarah Horvath, director of the Kino Sports Complex.
Last March, Kino successfully hosted theย World Baseball Classic Qualifier and regularly serves youth, amateur and pro teams throughout the year.ย
The effort to land a base camp in Tucson was presented by the FC Tucson soccer club. Visit Tucson signed off on the agreement, and the Southern Arizona Sports, Tourism, & Film Authority assisted with site tours, Horvath said.
โLanding an opportunity of this magnitude was no easy feat and took everyone working together,โ she said. โAnd our grounds crew works tirelessly to maintain our world-class facilities.
โWeโre excited to be a part of another international, world-class athletic competition and continue growing Kinoโs reputation for having elite facilities for multiple sporting events,โ she added.
This year's FIFA World Cup will be played in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
A screen shows the final bracket at the end of the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
Four dozen teams have been divided into 12 groups of four, with each playing three other opponents in its group. The top two teams in each group and the eight third-place teams with the most points advance to the single-elimination Round of 32.
"This designation reflects nearly two decades of professional soccer in Tucson and the long-standing collaboration between FC Tucson, Pima County and Kino Sports Complex to elevate the cityโs soccer infrastructure and profile," FC Tucson said in a news release.
