Iran’s national football team has expressed frustration after being ordered to leave the United States immediately following its opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Iranian side had planned to spend the night in Los Angeles after their dramatic 2-2 draw against New Zealand on Monday. However, head coach Amir Ghalenoei revealed that the team was instructed to return straight away to its training base in Tijuana, Mexico, disrupting its post-match recovery plans.
Speaking through an interpreter, Ghalenoei said the decision came shortly after the final whistle, leaving players and staff with little time to rest after a demanding fixture.
“They didn’t even give us time to recover,” he said. “After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’ It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, but we were asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana.”
The coach did not specify who issued the directive. Iran had originally expected to arrive in California two days before the match and remain overnight after the game before returning to Mexico the following day.
Team captain Mehdi Taremi also voiced concerns over the travel arrangements, revealing that what should have been a short journey from Tijuana to Los Angeles turned into a lengthy process due to security procedures.
According to Taremi, the squad spent nearly five hours dealing with travel logistics and security checks before reaching the venue for the Group G clash.
“We don’t know why they are returning us, to be honest,” Ghalenoei added. “I think it’s very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us. The decision-making for us is being made elsewhere.”
The coach went further, describing Iran as one of the most disadvantaged teams at the tournament.
“I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup,” he said.
Taremi called on FIFA to intervene and ensure fair treatment for the team during the remainder of the competition.
“I think FIFA have to help us more than this. Everything is like a disaster, actually, for us,” the striker said.
Iran’s remaining Group G fixtures include a meeting with Belgium in Inglewood, California, on Sunday before traveling to Seattle for a final group-stage encounter against Egypt.
The opening match also carried political undertones, with hundreds of Iranian-American protesters gathering outside the stadium. During the national anthem, some fans in attendance turned their backs on the field, while others displayed the historic Lion and Sun symbol associated with Iran before the 1979 revolution.
As controversy continues to surround the team’s tournament experience, attention will now shift to whether FIFA addresses Iran’s complaints ahead of its crucial clash against Belgium.
