Iran captain Mehdi Taremi launched a scathing criticism of FIFA following Team Melli’s exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026, calling the tournament a “disaster” and accusing world football’s governing body of failing to resolve the visa and travel issues that affected the Iranian squad throughout the competition. His remarks came moments after Iran’s 1-1 draw against Egypt ended their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
Expressing his frustration after the match, Taremi said the problems faced by the Iranian team extended far beyond football. Throughout the tournament, the squad had to repeatedly travel between their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, and match venues in the United States. According to the striker, visa issues also prevented several members of Iran’s logistics and recovery staff from joining the team, leaving the players without essential support during the competition.
Taremi revealed that FIFA President Gianni Infantino had visited the team’s dressing room after their opening match against New Zealand and assured them that the issues would be resolved. However, the captain claimed that little changed as the tournament progressed. He questioned why Iran continued to face logistical difficulties while other participating nations did not, insisting that the situation was unfair for a team competing at the highest level.
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei echoed his captain’s concerns and urged FIFA to ensure that future World Cup hosts treat every participating nation equally. The coach revealed that Iran had been forced to shift its training base from Arizona to Tijuana because of the ongoing regional conflict involving Iran, resulting in extensive travel that negatively affected the team’s preparation and recovery before matches.
Ghalenoei acknowledged FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s efforts but maintained that tournament hosts should not place any team at a competitive disadvantage. He also claimed that Iran was denied adequate preparation time before several matches, adding that despite the obstacles, his players performed with pride and represented their country with determination.
Although Iran’s World Cup journey ended in disappointment, the outspoken comments from Taremi and Ghalenoei have intensified the debate surrounding the tournament’s logistics, travel arrangements and treatment of participating teams. Their criticism is likely to fuel further discussions about player welfare and organizational standards ahead of future FIFA competitions.