A body was found in a state of decomposition inside the trunk of a car near the stadium where the Iranian national team is training during the 2026 World Cup, in the city of Tijuana, Mexico, according to journalists from Agence France-Presse.
This horrific incident was discovered in the parking lot of a store opposite the Caliente Stadium, where the Iranian national team has been heading every day since its arrival on Sunday, and a one-minute drive from the hotel in which it is staying.
The police opened the gray Toyota four-wheel drive car, which resulted in the emission of a strong unpleasant odor. Specialists wearing white uniforms worked around the car to examine the body before transporting it from the place.
The Tijuana Public Prosecutor’s Office explained, in a statement to Agence France-Presse, that a surveillance patrol was the one who found the body.
A preliminary report stated: “When searching the car, the patrol noticed the presence of a person in the back of the trunk, wrapped in a black bag, with signs of violence.”
According to a prosecution spokesman, the suspect car had been parked at the location since Wednesday.
The Mexican city of Tijuana is among the most dangerous cities, with more than 1,200 murders recorded in 2025, according to official statistics.
The war and tensions with the United States forced the Iranian team to take this border city with California, close to San Diego, as the headquarters of its camp instead of Tucson in Arizona, as was initially planned.
Since its arrival, the Iranian national team has received strict security measures. Every time the players leave the hotel for the stadium, the team bus is accompanied by several vehicles carrying heavily armed National Guard soldiers, and also accompanies them on their way back.
