After 2-2 draw, Iran must leave Los Angeles
The move cuts into recovery time and sends the squad back to its Tijuana base just hours after facing New Zealand.
Iran's national team complained about travel arrangements after its opening 2026 World Cup match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning (16/6/2026) WIB. After the 2-2 draw, Team Melli were told to leave the United States immediately and return to their base in Tijuana, Mexico, only a few hours after the match. Coach Amir Ghalenoei said the team had initially expected to spend the night in California to help players recover, but that plan changed suddenly. He said the decision disrupted the team's recovery. Since the start of the tournament, Iran have also faced other problems, including a base move from Tucson to Tijuana and several support staff members failing to obtain visas to enter the United States.