World Cup: Iran ordered to return to Mexico after New Zealand match
The Iranian national team was reportedly ordered to leave the U.S. and return to Mexico directly immediately after their first Group G World Cup match against New Zealand on Tuesday.
The team had expected to spend the night in California, but was told after their match that everyone must immediately get on a plane for the 140-mile trip back to Tijuana, in Mexico.
According to coach Amir Ghalenoei, the team was ordered to leave the U.S. but did not say why or who ordered them to leave earlier than planned.
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“I think our team is perhaps the most oppressed in the World Cup.” He said.
This comes days after striker Mehdi Taremi lamented the undue tension placed on his team as a result of the ongoing war between the co-host nation of the 2026 World Cup, the United States, and the Middle East country.
Officials and players of the team were subjected to harrowing visa issues and were also forced to shift its World Cuo base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to the Mexican border city of Tijuana due to the political standoff between the two countries.
While reacting to the situation which has been characterised by visa issues, security concerns and the increasingly fraught political climate surrounding the team’s participation, Taremi said the tension started when the team arrived camp.
“This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup.
“I felt the tension from the first moment we arrived. The tension started even before we got here,” Taremi added.
