The Iranian national team has found itself at the center of a scandal at the 2026 World Cup. After their opening match against New Zealand, the team was unexpectedly ordered to leave the USA immediately and return to their training base in Mexico. The Iranian delegation stated that this decision negatively impacted the players' preparation and recovery after the game. CBC Sports reports.
The Iranian national team was sent to Mexico immediately after the match
The match between Iran and New Zealand took place in Inglewood near Los Angeles and ended with a score of 2:2.
After the game, the Iranian team planned to stay in California for the night to recover, as is usually the case during major tournaments.
However, according to head coach Amir Ghalenoei, the team was informed about the need for an immediate flight to Tijuana, Mexico, where the national team's training base is located.
The coach stated that the players were not even given enough time to recover after the match.
In Iran, they do not understand the reasons for this decision
According to Ghalenoei, the team representatives were not explained who made the decision regarding the urgent departure from the USA.
He emphasized that the initial plan was to keep the national team in California until the next day after the match.
«We don't know why we are being sent back. This is a very strange situation. It feels like others are making decisions for us,» said the head coach of the Iranian team.
The team captain Mehdi Taremi also expressed dissatisfaction with the situation and urged FIFA to pay more attention to the conditions of the Iranian delegation at the tournament.
Iran complains about difficulties during the World Cup
The team notes that problems began even before the start of the tournament.
According to the national team representatives, some officials from the Iranian Football Federation, coaching staff, and media personnel were unable to obtain American visas.
In light of the tense relations between the USA and Iran, this significantly complicated the team's preparations for the World Cup.
Iran's next match will be on June 22 against Belgium. The match is also set to take place at SoFi Stadium in California.
It should be noted that the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino visited the Iranian team's locker room after the match against New Zealand at the 2026 World Cup. This match ended in a draw with a score of 2:2, reflecting the intense competition between the teams.