Iran’s national football team arrived in the United States on June 15, Sunday, ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against New Zealand, just hours before a peace agreement between the United States and Iran was announced. The timing added another remarkable chapter to what has already been one of the most politically sensitive World Cup campaigns in recent memory.
The squad landed in Los Angeles after a short flight from Tijuana, Mexico, where they had been based in the build-up to the tournament. Their arrival marked the first time Iran had entered the United States during the World Cup, ending months of uncertainty surrounding the team’s travel and preparations.
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Security was visibly heightened around the team’s hotel, with police blocking off sections of surrounding streets and extending barriers outside the premises. Later in the evening, head coach Amir Ghalenoei and striker Mehdi Taremi were scheduled to address the media ahead of Iran’s Group G opener against New Zealand.
The backdrop to the team’s arrival changed dramatically when US President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that a peace agreement between the United States and Iran would be formally signed in Switzerland later this week.
For Iran, it represented a rare moment of optimism after a World Cup build-up dominated by events away from football.
WHAT ALL WENT WRONG WITH IRAN’S WORLD CUP?
Iran’s preparations have been among the most challenging of any team at the tournament.
The federation had initially planned to establish its World Cup base camp in Arizona. However, escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, following joint US-Israeli military strikes earlier this year, forced a change of plans. Iran subsequently shifted its operations to neighbouring Mexico.
The political backdrop remained evident even on Sunday. Protesters gathered near Los Angeles Stadium carrying banners criticising Iran’s government and calling for democratic reforms. Several demonstrators displayed photographs of individuals they claimed had been arrested or killed during recent unrest inside the country.
Yet there was also support for Team Melli. Before departing Tijuana, hundreds of fans lined the streets outside the team’s hotel, chanting and waving flags as the players boarded their bus. One banner read: “Iran, you will never walk alone. Mexico stands with you.”
WHEN DO IRAN PLAY IN THE WORLD CUP?
Iran begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against New Zealand on Monday at Los Angeles Stadium.
The Group G fixture will be played under extraordinary circumstances, with the team arriving in the United States less than 24 hours earlier and against the backdrop of a newly announced peace agreement.
After months dominated by politics, logistics and uncertainty, Iran now finally have the chance to focus on football and begin their World Cup journey on the pitch.
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