The geopolitical turmoil surrounding Iran’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign took a drastic turn following their 2-2 opening draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei heavily criticized tournament organizers and immigration officials, labeling Team Melli as the “most oppressed team in the World Cup.”
Ghalenoei revealed that his squad was abruptly ordered to leave the United States and return to their temporary base in Mexico immediately after Monday night’s match, revoking a previous agreement that allowed them to stay until Tuesday afternoon for vital physical recovery.
This sudden eviction notice is the latest in a series of severe logistical hurdles imposed on the Iranian delegation amid extreme political and military tensions between Tehran and Washington. Though a permanent peace deal ending months of military conflict was announced just a day prior to the match, the residual friction heavily impacted the team. U.S. authorities initially refused visas for multiple members of Iran’s vital support staff and only granted the players’ travel documents at the absolute last minute. This forced the squad to abandon their planned training facility in Tucson, Arizona, and relocate across the border to Tijuana, Mexico.
“They delayed our arrivals, and now they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery,” Ghalenoei told journalists in a heated post-match press conference. He explained that due to the missing support staff, the remaining technical crew has had to assume extra managerial and administrative burdens. “They are making the situation more and more difficult, facing us with more hurdles, but we’re not going to let that stop us from doing our best,” the coach added, stating he had received no official explanation as to why their travel permissions were suddenly altered.
Star forward Mehdi Taremi echoed his manager’s frustrations, describing the overall organizational environment as a complete “disaster.” Taremi revealed that the players were blindsided by the news, only learning on match day that they would be forced out of the country immediately following the final whistle. Highlighting the heavy psychological toll on the squad, Taremi called on football’s governing body to step in, noting that FIFA President Gianni Infantino had visited the Iranian dressing room to discuss the situation. “We are just tired of this situation… We just want the peace, which is the center of FIFA,” Taremi stated.