The Iran national football team is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Wednesday, July 1, after their elimination from the 2026 World Cup. The squad, managed by Amir Ghalenoei, finished the group stage undefeated with draws against Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, but missed the round of 32 as the ninth-best third-placed team on goal difference.
Controversial Goal Disallowed
In their final group match against Egypt, Iran defender Shojae Khalilzadeh thought he had scored a late winner that would have sent his nation through. However, the goal was ruled out by the officials, ending Iran's campaign.
US Visa Denials and Travel Restrictions
Iran's World Cup journey was fraught with political obstacles due to tensions with the United States. The team's training base was initially set in Tucson, Arizona, but was relocated to Tijuana, Mexico, shortly before the tournament. All three of Iran's group matches were held on US soil, requiring the team to cross the border repeatedly. After each match, the squad was forced to leave the US immediately, with no time for recovery. Eleven members of Iran's delegation were denied US visas entirely.
United States Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin boasted about the visa denials following Iran's elimination.
Coach and Captain Speak Out
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei criticized the treatment, stating: "They didn't even give us time to recover. After the game today, they said to us, 'You have to leave immediately.'" He added, "They are making the situation more and more difficult, facing us with more hurdles, but we're not going to let that stop us from doing our best. That's why I think we are the most oppressed team in the World Cup."
Captain Mehdi Taremi also expressed frustration, calling the tournament a "disaster" and questioning FIFA's inability to resolve visa issues. "Since the beginning, it's a disaster World Cup. FIFA, they have to solve every problem here but unfortunately this they couldn't solve since the beginning," Taremi said.
Appeal to FIFA
After the final group game, Ghalenoei urged FIFA to prevent host nations from treating teams poorly in the future. "I know Mr Infantino has tried his best to minimize the problems as much as possible but it was the host that wasn't very good to us. I urge FIFA to not let the hosts treat teams and players the same way in the future. I hope Mr Infantino will actually stand up to such behavior."
