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Iran national team says it faced very bad treatment at US World Cup
Iran national team head coach Amir Ghalenoei called on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to stand up against the host country US's 'very unfair' and 'very bad' treatment of their team. Team captain Mehdi Taremi also complained about visa issues and logistical difficulties.
Iran national team drew 1-1 with Egypt in their final Group G match of the 2026 World Cup, leaving their qualification hopes to be decided on the final matchday. After the match played at Seattle Stadium, harsh criticism was directed at the host US from the Iranian side.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team faced 'very unfair' treatment throughout the tournament. 'The host was not very good to us. I call on FIFA not to allow hosts to treat teams and players the same way in the future. I hope Mr. Infantino truly stands up against such behavior,' he said.
VAR decision and logistical problems
Iran came close to victory with a goal by Shojae Khalilzadeh in added time. However, the goal was disallowed for offside after a VAR review. The decision jeopardized Iran's chances in the tournament.
Team captain Mehdi Taremi described the experience as a 'disastrous World Cup'. Taremi said that part of the logistics team could not get US visas, and Iranian media representatives were unable to attend matches and press conferences. While Egyptian journalists were observed giving heavy support in the press tribune, no significant presence of Iranian media was noted.
Mandatory return to Tijuana
Iran had moved their training camp from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico due to the war in the Middle East. It was reported that the team was not allowed to stay overnight in the US for the third consecutive match and immediately flew back to Tijuana after the game. Ghalenoei said this deprived the team of the opportunity to train properly and recover mentally and physically.
The Iranian coach said, 'These young people and players should be written into history because the host country treated us very unfairly. Their treatment of us was really very bad, and we hope the world knows about it.'
Tense atmosphere in Seattle
The match coincided with Seattle's annual PrideFest event. Outside the stadium, hundreds of supporters of Reza Pahlavi, a prominent opponent of the Iranian regime, gathered. A noticeably tense but peaceful atmosphere prevailed for two hours before the match.
Iran, as they did after their group match in Los Angeles, left a handwritten note in the locker room in Seattle. The note thanked Seattle for its hospitality, expressed gratitude to Iranians for 'their hearts and voices', and emphasized that football is a 'character test'. The team later headed to the airport for their return flight to Tijuana.
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