Inglewood, California (AP) — Iran's national soccer team was ordered to leave the United States and return to its training base in Mexico shortly after a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their World Cup opener on June 15, 2026. Coach Amir Ghalenoei stated that the team was instructed to depart immediately, despite plans to stay overnight in California for recovery. Ghalenoei expressed concern about the lack of recovery time, saying, "They didn’t even give us time to recover."
The team faced logistical challenges, including the absence of key staff members due to visa issues, which complicated their preparations. Captain Mehdi Taremi noted that the team experienced significant delays during travel, which affected their performance.
Ghalenoei mentioned that several players suffered from cramps during the match, attributing this to insufficient preparation time. He stated, "Many of our players, they had cramps, and that’s why we had to substitute them."
Iran's upcoming matches include games against Belgium and Egypt in the group stage. The match against New Zealand featured a strong showing from Iranian fans, despite protests against the Iranian government outside the stadium. The atmosphere was described as supportive for the players, with Taremi noting, "It was an incredible atmosphere in the game, all 90 minutes."
The match saw Iran equalize twice, with goals from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi, who faced criticism for a gesture made after scoring. The game highlighted the complex relationship between the Iranian diaspora and their national team amid ongoing political tensions.