Iran soccer team ordered to leave U.S. after opening World Cup match

After a 2‑2 draw with New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June 2026, Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his squad was ordered to leave the United States immediately and return to its training base in Tijuana, Mexico. The team complained that visas were denied for many support staff, that they were forced onto a plane without a night of recovery, and labeled themselves “the most oppressed team in the World Cup.”

U.S. officials, including White House FIFA task‑force director Andrew Giuliani, said the entry‑exit schedule had been pre‑planned: players may enter the day before each match and must depart the evening of the match, while some staff were barred due to alleged links to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Iranian dressing room after the game, expressing sympathy but offering no concrete changes.

The logistical issues stem from earlier visa problems that forced the team to relocate its camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. The episode occurs amid a newly announced U.S.–Iran peace deal and broader geopolitical tension, but Iran will continue its Group G schedule against Belgium and Egypt.