Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei and several players criticized FIFA and U.S. authorities after Iran’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand, saying the team was ordered to leave the United States immediately and had already faced visa and travel disruptions during World Cup preparations.

Post-match dispute

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei sharply criticized FIFA and U.S. authorities after his team’s 2-2 draw with New Zealand in its World Cup opener in Inglewood, California, saying Iran was ordered to leave the United States immediately after the match.

Ghalenoei said the timing disrupted recovery and preparation. The comments turned what should have been a routine post-match travel arrangement into a public complaint about how the team has been treated around the tournament.

Players Mehdi Taremi and Mohammad Mohebi also voiced frustration, adding to the sense that the issue was not limited to one coach’s reaction. Their remarks focused on the strain of travel and the effect on the squad’s recovery.

Visa and logistics problems

The post-match criticism came after weeks of complaints about the team’s World Cup setup. AP reported that several Iran staff members had been denied U.S. visas, and that the team’s base was moved from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico because of visa complications and broader geopolitical tensions.

AP also reported that FIFA denied Iran’s earlier request to move its group-stage matches out of the United States. That left Iran to continue competing under the original venue plan despite its objections.

The Guardian and the New York Post reported that FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the team after the match and acknowledged its difficulties. Those reports suggested FIFA was aware of the dispute, though no public resolution was reported.

What comes next

Iran’s immediate concern is practical: player recovery and preparation before its next Group G matches. The team has already had to manage a tournament setup shaped by visa problems, travel disruption and political friction.

The unresolved question is whether FIFA or U.S. authorities will answer publicly to the claim that Iran had to leave Los Angeles right after the draw. It is also unclear whether Iran will turn the matter into a formal protest or seek further action.

Revision note

Initial automated publication.