Tehran, June 2 (EFE).- Iran’s national football team will travel through Spain en route to its World Cup base camp in Mexico ahead of the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, despite still awaiting key travel visas, Iranian football officials said on Tuesday. Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj said the squad is scheduled to depart on Saturday and will make a stop in Spain for refueling before continuing to Tijuana, where the team will be based during the World Cup. Taj said Iranian officials expect the team to receive Mexican entry visas either on Tuesday or Wednesday, while U.S. visas are expected to be issued shortly thereafter. The national team, widely known as “Team Melli,” will be based in Tijuana after FIFA approved a change from the originally planned training camp in Tucson, Arizona. Iran has been drawn in Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt. Its first two group-stage matches will be played in Los Angeles, while its final group match will take place in Seattle. The tournament marks Iran’s fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup appearance and its seventh overall. Despite its regular presence at the competition in recent decades, the team has never advanced beyond the group stage. EFE jlr-sk