Iran forced to leave US immediately after World Cup draw with New Zealand, coach says team is 'most oppressed'

Iran secured a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in a Group G match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held on June 16 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Iranian team, which had been forced to set up its base camp in Mexico due to ongoing tensions between the two countries, was permitted to enter the United States only for the game. After the match, Iranian head coach Amir Ghalenoei revealed that the team was ordered to leave the U.S. immediately, hampering player recovery and leaving the squad distressed.

New Zealand opened the scoring in the seventh minute through Elijah Just, but Iran equalized in the 32nd minute with a goal from Ramin Rezaeian. In the second half, Just struck again for New Zealand in the 54th minute, only for Mohammad Mohebbi to level the score at 2-2 in the 64th minute. The draw leaves both teams with one point each in the group standings.

Speaking after the match, Ghalenoei expressed frustration over the team's treatment. "They didn't give us time to recover. After the game they told us, 'You have to leave immediately.' Recovery time is very important for us, but they asked us to go back to the plane and return to Tijuana. We are very disturbed by all this," he said. He added, "Iran is the most oppressed team in this World Cup." The coach noted that many players suffered cramps during the match, which he attributed to bureaucratic hurdles imposed on the team. "We didn't make substitutions for technical reasons. Delaying our arrival and forcing us to leave early without recovery time makes everything much more difficult," Ghalenoei stated.

The journey back to Mexico was further complicated by prolonged border checks for some players, including captain Mehdi Taremi, a former FC Porto and Rio Ave forward, and Saeed Al-Hawie. Taremi revealed that FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited the Iranian locker room after the match. "He wants to help us, but there are other things on the table. FIFA has to do more. It has been a disaster. We will see what happens in the future," Taremi said. Infantino, accompanied by FIFA ambassador Youri Djorkaeff, was heard telling the team, "I know and understand what you are going through, but you are stronger than everything. You are sending a strong message to the world."