Iran Team Claims It Was Not Allowed To Remain in U.S. Overnight After First Game

The Iranian national football team has sparked major controversy at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with head coach Amir Ghalenoei claiming that his squad was ordered to leave the United States immediately after their opening match. Following a politically charged 2-2 draw against New Zealand at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, team officials were reportedly informed by authorities that they were not permitted to stay in the country overnight. Ghalenoei expressed deep frustration over the decision, labeling Iran “the most oppressed team at the World Cup” and detailing how the unexpected order completely disrupted the squad’s planned post-match recovery processes. The team had fully expected to spend the night in California before traveling back across the border.

Instead, the Iranian squad was forced onto a plane just hours after the final whistle to return to their official tournament training base in Tijuana, Mexico. While the team is scheduled to play all of its group-stage matches at venues within the United States, they chose to establish their residential camp in Mexico for the duration of the tournament. The coach did not explicitly name the specific agency or authorities responsible for enforcing the immediate departure order. The logistics clash adds further tension to an opening match that was already heavily scrutinized, during which the Iranian national anthem was loudly booed by sections of the crowd prior to kick-off.