Iran ordered to ‘leave USA immediately’ after FIFA 2026 World Cup match against New Zealand

According to the Associated Press, Iran was expecting to spend the night in California for recovery after a gruelling game against New Zealand, but they were told they must leave immediately for the 140-mile trip back to Tijuana.

“They didn’t even give us time to recover,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter.

“After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’ It’s very important for us to have time for recovery, but we are asked to get on a plane and return to our camp in Tijuana, and we are really troubled by that," he added.

After the game against New Zealand, the Iran football coach said his team are the most “oppressed” at the FIFA World Cup and has been suffering long before the 48-team competition even began.

“They delayed our arrivals, and they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery. They are making the situation more and more difficult, facing us with more hurdles, but we're not going to let that stop us from doing our best,” he said.

“That's why I think we are the most oppressed team in the World Cup,” he added.

Ghalenoei also revealed that several players developed cramps during the game against New Zealand, and the contingent should have been allowed recovery time.

“Before the game, I said we haven’t had time to adjust because of the travel. Many of our players, they had cramps, and that’s why we had to substitute them. So it wasn’t for technical reasons that we made substitutions. It was because of the injury and because of the cramp. They will be examined (Tuesday) by our technical staff, but the fact that they delayed our arrivals, and they are forcing us to go back early without time for recovery, they are making the situation more difficult," he said.

“We don’t know why they are returning us, to be honest. I think it’s very strange. It seems like others are doing the planning for us. The decision-making for us is being made elsewhere. We were supposed to come two nights before the game, and we were supposed to stay tonight to recover and return tomorrow at lunchtime. We have no idea why," he said.

“It's a lot of stress for the players and staffs and everyone, but we don't have that support, and I think FIFA have to help us more than this. Everything is like a disaster, actually, for us,” he added.

Iran will next take on Belgium in the World Cup on June 21 in Los Angeles. Their final league game will be played against Egypt in Seattle on June 28.

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