Iran's national soccer team says it was instructed to leave the United States immediately after its opening World Cup match against New Zealand on Tuesday. The team had planned to stay overnight at a hotel in California but was told after the match to fly back to Tijuana, Mexico — approximately 225 km away. Coach Amir Ghalenoei told Fox News the team is "perhaps the most depressed in the World Cup" and was not given a reason for the order.
The Iranian delegation to the World Cup — including players, coaching staff, and officials — had planned to stay overnight at a hotel in California after Tuesday afternoon's match against New Zealand. Instead, according to quotes given by head coach Amir Ghalenoei to Fox News and reported by Israeli journalist Asaf Rozentzweig (N12), the entire delegation was ordered onto a flight immediately after the game. The destination was Tijuana, Mexico, roughly 225 km south of Los Angeles.
As The Zioneer reported late Tuesday, the team's same-day departure on game day was initially framed as a visa condition: the team was allowed to enter the U.S. only on match days and had to return to Mexico after each game. But Ghalenoei's description suggests the order to leave was a surprise. "I think our team is perhaps the most depressed in the World Cup," he said. No U.S. official has confirmed or commented on the alleged directive.
This is the latest twist in a months-long saga over Iran's participation in the 2026 U.S.-hosted World Cup. The team faced visa denial reports, supporter ticket cancellations, and a U.S. visa regime that forced them to base in Mexico and fly in for each game. The U.S. government has not publicly explained the rationale.
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