Iran Says World Cup Team Ordered Out of U.S. After Opener

Iran's World Cup campaign began with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Inglewood, California, but attention quickly shifted away from the result after team officials said players and staff were instructed to leave the United States shortly after the match and return to their training base in Tijuana, Mexico. Iranian coach Amir Ghalenoei said the abrupt departure disrupted the team's normal post-match recovery process and created additional strain on players preparing for upcoming group-stage matches. FIFA had previously approved Tijuana as Iran's base camp after earlier plans to train in the United States were affected by visa and security concerns.

The travel issue follows months of challenges linked to relations between Washington and Tehran. Several members of Iran's support staff reportedly encountered visa difficulties before the tournament, while the team sought changes to its World Cup arrangements after conflict earlier this year involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Although athletes were permitted to enter the United States under exemptions tied to major international sporting events, Iranian officials have argued that travel restrictions and administrative hurdles have complicated the team's preparations.