Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team is the most oppressed in the World Cup after U.S. authorities ordered them to leave California.
The incident highlights the volatile intersection of international diplomacy and global sports, as visa and immigration disputes disrupted the team's logistics during the tournament.
Iran played New Zealand to a 2-2 draw [1] on June 15, 2026 [2], at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood. Following the Group G match, Ghalenoei said the team was barred from staying overnight in the city. Instead, officials ordered the squad to depart the U.S. and return to Mexico immediately [3].
"We are the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup," Ghalenoei said [4].
The coach said that the sudden departure order came directly after the match ended. He said that while the team expected to remain in Los Angeles, they were told to leave the country right after the draw [5].
"They ordered us out of the United States right after the draw," Ghalenoei said [6].
Reports indicate the forced departure was linked to visa and immigration issues [7]. This logistical chaos forced the team to vacate their California base and travel back across the border to Mexico [8].
"We were expected to stay overnight in Los Angeles, but we were told to go back to Mexico immediately," Ghalenoei said [9].
“"We are the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup."”
The immediate expulsion of the Iranian national team from the U.S. underscores the fragility of sporting neutrality during periods of high diplomatic tension. By citing visa and immigration issues to remove a visiting team immediately after a match, the U.S. government has signaled that administrative controls can supersede the typical hospitality and logistical norms of a World Cup host, potentially complicating the travel and stability of other nations with strained relations with Washington.
