Iran ‘Tired’ of Treatment at 2026 World Cup, Call on FIFA for More Support

With strict travel in and out of the United States, Iran has to stay in Mexico.

Iran were quickly ushered out of the U.S. after its game with New Zealand had finished. | Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu/Getty Images

Team Iran is already “tired” of jumping through hoops at the 2026 World Cup, after being asked to leave the United States as soon as Monday’s 2–2 against New Zealand finished.

All three of Iran’s group matches are on U.S. soil, but the team has been stopped from staying in America for the duration of its involvement in the tournament. The original plan was to set up camp in Arizona, but that had to change and now the team is based in Tijuana, Mexico.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said there is “no reason to deny them the possibility of staying in Mexico.” She added: “We have no problem.”

Iran is only allowed in the U.S. for matches. Team official Abolfazl Pasandideh confirmed to reporters: “We can enter in the morning and we must leave the same day.”

That meant flying out of Los Angeles straight after facing New Zealand. Manager Amir Ghalenoei complained about the negative impact those strict measures are having.

“We’ve spent so much time commuting in the air. They didn’t even give us time to recover after the game. They said we had to leave immediately,” Ghalenoei said. “It’s very important for us to have time for recovery and yet we were asked to return to Tijuana and we are really troubled by that.

“We do not know why they are returning us [to Mexico]. I think it’s very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us, decisions are made elsewhere. We were supposed to arrive two nights before the game and we were not permitted, we were supposed to stay [one night] and return [Tuesday] lunchtime but I have no idea why [we couldn’t], and they haven’t told us.

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Iran ‘Most Oppressed Team’ in World Cup

Iran is fighting hard just to get on the field. | Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Although the players are at least allowed to enter the U.S. for matches, 15 staff were denied completely. Four appeals have since been successful, but 11 still cannot accompany the team and had to stay behind in Mexico for the group opener at SoFi Stadium.

“We don't have our President, and no one from staff, also, which is so important for us. Our manager, for example, has come here doing the job of the media, and you know everything is like a disaster for us. We are just tired of this situation, because we have a lot of problems,” captain Mehdi Taremi said.

“It’s so bad, and it affects our team, and we just want the peace, which is the centre of FIFA. I think FIFA have to help us more then we see what’s going to happen in the future.”

“Our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup,” Ghalenoei continued.

“The federation is absent here. Our media isn’t here. Our management team, many of them aren’t here. We used to have a part of a coaching team to help with substitutions but we didn’t have that. Many in the technical area had to deal with that.”

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FIFA President Promises to ‘Help’ Iran

FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the Iranian national football team's dressing room following the Iran-New Zealand match in Group G of the 2026 World Cup.
He praised the players, saying, "You are writing history and the whole world is watching you. Continue to play with⬇️ pic.twitter.com/O9LZk0broy

— Hatam Shiralizadeh (@HatamDaddy) June 16, 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has cozied up to Donald Trump throughout the buildup to this World Cup, which has drawn even more criticism now that the administration is doing little to help resolve things such as visa issues for participants at all levels.

FIFA quickly said there was nothing that could be done to help Omar Artan, the Somali referee denied entry into the U.S., although has since pledged to still pay the official his full fee.

But Infantino’s presence in the Iran locker room on Monday was filmed and widely shared on social media platforms. He was heard giving considerable encouragement to the players in light of the many hurdles they have come up against in just getting onto the field.

“I know what you go through, I understand, but you are stronger than everything,” Infantino said. “You send a strong message to the entire world. Tonight, you united the whole stadium behind you, behind Team Melli. You are sending such a strong message to the world.”

Taremi said Iran’s players have called on the FIFA President to intervene, to which there was a positive response: “[Infantino] has been in the changing room and we have been asking him the same things. He just wants to help us. He said it is the beginning of the World Cup now and he will help us.”

Only time will tell what form that seemingly overdue ‘help’ now takes.

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