Iranian Men's Soccer Team Ordered to Leave US After World Cup Opener

The Iranian men's soccer team was instructed to leave the United States shortly after their World Cup opener against New Zealand, which ended in a 2-2 draw. Coach Amir Ghalenoei reported that the team was ordered to return to their training base in Mexico instead of spending the night in Los Angeles as initially planned. Ghalenoei did not specify who issued the order, but he expressed concern over the lack of recovery time for the players. Captain Mehdi Taremi noted that the team faced delays during their travel from Tijuana to Los Angeles. Ghalenoei described the situation as unusual, stating that the team had expected to stay in California for recovery. Taremi called on FIFA for additional support, describing their experience as challenging. The team is scheduled to play their next two group matches against Belgium and Egypt.