Iran world cup squad ordered to exit US immediately after opening match
Though a preliminary peace agreement was announced just hours before kickoff, the diplomatic fallout had already upended Iran's World Cup preparations
Members of the Iranian national soccer team were ordered to leave the United States and return directly to Mexico just hours after their opening World Cup match on Monday night, Fox News reported.
Under the delegation's original schedule, the players and coaching staff were slated to spend the night at their accommodations in California to maximize physical recovery.
Instead, delegation members revealed that an official message was delivered immediately after the final whistle, instructing all Iranian personnel to immediately board a flight back to Tijuana, Mexico.
The Mexican border city sits approximately 225 kilometers (140 miles) from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where Team Melli had just battled to a grueling 2-2 draw against New Zealand.
The US Department of Homeland Security and White House officials later clarified the situation, confirming that this immediate exit protocol was actually part of a rigid security and diplomatic agreement established before the tournament. Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House World Cup task force, explained that the Iranian delegation is strictly permitted to enter the United States only on "match day minus one" and must depart the country the same evening the match wraps up.
Iranian head coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed deep frustration over the sudden transit, labeling his squad the most oppressed team in the World Cup. Speaking through an interpreter, Ghalenoei noted that the abrupt departure gave his players zero time to recover or address medical needs, revealing that several forced substitutions during the game were due to severe cramping brought on by chaotic travel logistics.
Striker Mehdi Taremi echoed his coach's sentiments, describing the strict commuting guidelines as a disaster and calling on soccer's governing body, FIFA, to intervene.
Though a preliminary peace agreement was announced just hours before kickoff, the diplomatic fallout had already upended Iran's World Cup preparations. The team was forced to move its training base from Arizona to Tijuana, and multiple key delegation staff members, including the president of the Iranian football federation, were denied US visas entirely.