FIFA World Cup 2026: Dead body found near Iran’s training stadium in Mexico

A rotting corpse was found in the trunk of a car parked near the stadium where Iran’s World Cup football team is training in Mexico. AFP Journalists on site reported this on Friday.

The gruesome discovery came as matches were underway in the tournament, which is jointly organized by Mexico, the US and Canada.

Reporters watched as police in Tijuana opened the trunk of the gray Toyota SUV, which had a California license plate, in the parking lot of a supermarket directly across from Caliente Stadium, where Team Melli is training as it prepares for three games in the United States.

Specialists in white protective suits worked around the vehicle to examine the body before it was removed.

The Tijuana prosecutor’s office said the body was discovered by a patrol unit.

“Upon inspection of the vehicle, they found a person wrapped in a black bag in the trunk, showing signs of violence,” the spokesperson said, adding that the car was believed to have been abandoned on Wednesday.

Temperatures in the city have risen to 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) in recent days, with the warm sun shining for hours every day.

Mexico is plagued by powerful drug gangs and has one of the highest murder rates in the world.

Tijuana, which borders the United States, is notoriously dangerous, with more than 1,200 homicides in 2025, according to official statistics.

The Iranian national team, whose participation in FIFA’s football spectacle was overshadowed by the war with the United States, planned to hold its training camp in Arizona but moved to Mexico amid ongoing hostilities.

Since arriving, the team has been under heavy security and escorted by armed soldiers between the hotel and the stadium.

On Friday, the convoy left the stadium just minutes after the body was removed. There was no immediate response AFP ask the team about security measures.

Published on June 13, 2026