THE IRANIAN TEAM were informed they must travel back to Mexico immediately after their opening World Cup game ended in Los Angeles late Monday.
It is the latest logistical nightmare for an Iran squad that arrived at the tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada under the shadow of a bitter row between Tehran and Washington.
Monday’s game was Iran’s first of the World Cup in the US, which was in military conflict with Iran for months, until a peace deal was announced on Sunday.
There was footage of Iranian fans holding pictures of victims from the Minab school strike, a missile strike on a girls’ school in Iran which killed over 150 people in late February.
Reuters also reported that protesters gathered outside the stadium before the match waving anti-government signs and flags.
Many in the audience also carried Iran’s pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag – which has become a symbol of opposition to the regime in Tehran – while some booed Iran’s national anthem.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Los Angeles stadium ahead of Iran's first match at the FIFA World Cup, waving anti-government signs and flags and chanting slogans against the Islamic Republic of Iran https://t.co/xscbnWWeBY pic.twitter.com/kqzdgra91V
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 16, 2026
‘More hurdles’
Coach Amir Ghalenoei said Iran is the “most oppressed team in the World Cup” after the match.
The US refused to issue visas for some team support staff, and provided travel documents to players only at the last minute.
The team was originally intending to base its training camp in Tucson, Arizona but moved it at the 11th hour to Tijuana in Mexico due to the visa and logistical issues.
“They delayed our arrivals, (now) they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery,” Ghalenoei told journalists following a 2-2 draw with New Zealand.
“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.”
According to Ghalenoei, his team had previously been told they would be able to remain in the United States until Tuesday lunchtime “to recover.”
“But again they haven’t permitted us,” he said. “To be honest, I have no idea why they haven’t told us.”
The coach said technical staff had been forced to take on managerial duties to the absence of key personnel.
“That’s why I think we are the most oppressed team in the World Cup,” he said.
Iran played their opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday, just a day after a peace deal between the US and Iran was announced, bringing an “immediate and permanent” end to military operations on all fronts.
Their star strike Mehdi Taremi also slammed his team’s treatment at the tournament as a “disaster” after the game.
“It’s a lot of stress for the players and staffs and everyone, but we don’t have that support, and I think FIFA have to help us more than this,” he told reporters.
He added: “Everything is like disaster, actually, for us.”
Taremi said the first the players had learnt they would be leaving the US on Monday was on match day.
Taremi said Fifa president Gianni Infantino had been in the Iran changing room discussing the issue.
“He wants to try to help us, but it’s about other things too,” he said.
With additional reporting from AFP.