“You must leave immediately,” Iran denounces the order to leave the USA after the match against New Zealand

Coach Amir Ghalenoei says the team had no time to recover after the 2-2 draw with New Zealand and was forced to return to Mexico...

Iran’s national football team was ordered to leave the United States immediately after the match against New Zealand in the 2026 World Cup and return to Mexico, coach Amir Ghalenoei said.

According to him, the team had planned to stay overnight in California to recover after the match, but immediately after the game ended, the players were informed they had to return to Tijuana, about 225 kilometers away.

“We were not given any time to recover,” Ghalenoei told reporters through a translator, without specifying who issued the order. “As soon as the match ended, they told us: ‘You must leave immediately.’”

The 62-year-old coach stressed that recovery after such a match is essential for footballers, but the team was forced to travel immediately to Tijuana.

Iran’s participation in this year’s World Cup had long remained uncertain due to the country’s conflict with Israel and the United States. However, Tehran decided to take part in the tournament even after FIFA rejected a request to hold three group-stage matches outside U.S. territory.

“Honestly, we don’t know why they are sending us back to Mexico,” said Ghalenoei. “It’s very strange. It feels like others are planning our travel. According to our schedule, we were supposed to arrive in the U.S. two nights before the match and stay one night after it for recovery. I think our team is among the most restricted in this World Cup.”

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi stated that the team was delayed for more than five hours when departing from Tijuana due to extensive security checks. As a result, the delegation arrived late to the scheduled press conference in Los Angeles ahead of the match.

Taremi and Ghalenoei also criticized the absence of several key officials from the Iranian federation, technical staff, and press office, who were unable to enter the United States, making the team’s preparations more difficult.

“We have to leave Los Angeles immediately, and this is not good for us,” Taremi said about an hour after the match. “I think FIFA should help us more.”

He added that the Iranian national team’s goal at the World Cup is “to bring joy to all Iranians, wherever they are in the world.”

Ghalenoei said that some players suffered cramps during the match and linked these issues to the lack of sufficient preparation time due to bureaucratic and diplomatic obstacles faced by the team.

Iran’s next two World Cup matches will also be played in the United States: on Sunday against Belgium in Inglewood, California, and next week against Egypt in Seattle.

Monday’s match between Iran and New Zealand ended 2-2 and took place amid strong protests by Iranian fans against the government in Tehran.

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