Iran Coach: USA Treated Us 'Unfairly' at World Cup
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- Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team was treated "very unfairly" by the host United States and urged FIFA to prevent similar treatment of teams at future World Cups
- Iran's World Cup training base was relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico before the tournament began, with travel restrictions imposed throughout
- For their first two matches in Los Angeles, Iran's squad was only permitted to enter the US the day before the match and had to depart the same day, under visa terms
- Travel restrictions eased for the Seattle game, allowing Iran to arrive two days early, but they still had to return to Tijuana afterward
- Captain Mehdi Taremi labeled the tournament a "logistical disaster," questioning why the team "always have to travel to Tijuana"
- Iran drew 1-1 with Egypt in their final Group G match, and a stoppage-time goal by Shoja Khalilzadeh was disallowed for offside via VAR review
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he had personally ensured Iran could compete at the World Cup at all, adding the circumstances were beyond FIFA's control
Why it matters: The dispute highlights how visa and travel logistics — not just on-field performance — shape World Cup participation for politically sensitive teams, with Ghalenoei formally appealing to FIFA for host-country conduct rules. Iran sits sixth among third-placed teams with three groups left to finish, meaning their fate could hinge on results elsewhere after the disallowed stoppage-time goal.
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