Mexican authorities discovered a decomposing body stuffed inside the trunk of an abandoned vehicle just yards from where Iran’s national soccer team is preparing for the 2026 World Cup.
The grim discovery was made Friday in a supermarket parking lot across from Caliente Stadium in Tijuana, where Iran has established its training base ahead of upcoming matches in the United States.
A decomposing body has been found in the trunk of a car outside the Tijuana stadium where Iran’s team is training for the World Cup. Authorities say the body was wrapped in a plastic bag and showed signs of violence. pic.twitter.com/Wq63VQj1bX
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 13, 2026
According to local authorities, residents had complained for days about a foul odor coming from a gray Toyota SUV parked in the lot.
When officers inspected the vehicle, they found a body wrapped in a black bag inside the trunk.
“Upon inspecting the vehicle, they found a person wrapped in a black bag in the trunk, showing signs of violence,” a spokesman for the Tijuana prosecutor’s office said.
Officials have not released the identity of the victim.
Forensic investigators were seen examining the SUV and collecting evidence from the scene before removing the body.
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A decomposed body has reportedly been discovered inside a vehicle parked near the Iranian national team’s training ground
The body was found in a parking lot directly opposite Iran’s training center and just a one-minute drive from the team hotel !! pic.twitter.com/LQiypCaxqb
— KinG £ (@xKGx__) June 12, 2026
The vehicle reportedly carried California license plates and appeared to have been sitting in the parking lot since at least Wednesday.
Authorities also noted damage to the rear of the SUV.
The discovery comes as thousands of fans descend on Mexico, the United States, and Canada for the World Cup.
Iran’s national team has been training under heavy security at Caliente Stadium ahead of its opening match against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday.
Photographs from the scene showed Mexican National Guard personnel securing the area around the team’s training facilities as investigators worked nearby.
The incident also comes amid ongoing negotiations between the Trump administration and Iran to bring the recent conflict to a close.
Authorities have said that the discovery is connected in any way to the Iranian national team or the World Cup.
Tijuana has long struggled with cartel violence and remains one of Mexico’s most dangerous cities.
The border city routinely records one of the highest homicide rates in the country and has been plagued by organized crime, drug trafficking, and gang-related killings for years.
Ben Kew is a writer and editor. Originally from the UK, he moved to the U.S. to cover Congress for Breitbart News and has since gone on to editorial roles at Human Events, Townhall Media, and Americano Media. He has also written for The Epoch Times, The Western Journal, and The Spectator.
You can email Ben Kew here, and read more of Ben Kew’s articles here.
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