Iran fought back to secure a dramatic 2-2 draw against New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in their opening game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
However, the team were ordered to leave the United States “immediately” after the game came to an end, a move that sparked outrage from Iran manager Amir Ghalenoei.
Ghalenoei has heavily criticised tournament organisers, labelling his squad the “most repressed team” at the World Cup.
Iran fought back twice through goals from Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi, but there was not enough time to celebrate their achievements.
Organisers abruptly advanced the squad’s flight schedule, forcing them to abandon recovery plans and return to their security base across the border in Tijuana.
Reflecting on the psychological and physical toll inflicted upon his players, Ghalenoei expressed profound anger regarding the constant disruptions to their itinerary.
Players of IR Iran pose for a team photograph before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match against New Zealand. (Photo by Alex Livesey – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images).
He said: “We spent so much time in the air commuting, they didn’t even give us time to recover. After the game today, they said to us you have to leave immediately. It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, but we’ve been told to return to our camp in Tijuana and we are really troubled by that. I think perhaps our team is the most repressed team in the whole World Cup.”
Iranian anthem was met with a mixture of audible jeers and loud cheers, but they got the support of the 70,108-strong crowd once the game got underway.
Reflecting on the collective backing from the diaspora, Ghalenoei added: “There were many Iranians here, they believe in different political affiliations, different beliefs, but they all wholeheartedly encouraged us, and I think that’s a victory for all of us.”
Iran will now have to put in a strong performance in their next game against European heavyweights Belgium on Sunday. All four nations in Group G locked level on one point.
