Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei on June 15 criticized what he called unfair treatment of his team, forced to repeatedly change travel plans due to strains between Iran and the United States. He said the upheaval directly impacted their match performance, leading to a 2-2 draw against New Zealand.
According to Reuters, the Football Federation of Iran had to negotiate a last-minute switch of the team's base from Arizona (USA) to Tijuana (Mexico) due to visa uncertainties and a desire to minimize the squad's time on U.S. soil.
Ghalenoei, 62, said the team faced further difficulties when they were not allowed to stay overnight in Los Angeles for recovery but instead had to return immediately to Mexico. 'We should have stayed here overnight to recover and go back tomorrow at noon, but they didn't allow us. Honestly, I don't know why. I think maybe our team is the most oppressed team in this World Cup,' he said.
The coach also revealed that several key staff and media personnel were absent due to visa restrictions, forcing coaches to double up on roles on the bench. 'The management team and many others are not here. We have to handle those roles ourselves,' he added.
Forward Mehdi Taremi described the tense atmosphere on June 14, when the team had to travel from Tijuana to Los Angeles, then to the hotel, and finally to the stadium. 'We should have had two days to settle down in Los Angeles. This situation is terrible and affects the whole team. We just want peace. FIFA must help us more than this,' Taremi said.
Despite the difficulties, Ghalenoei praised his players' fighting spirit in securing a draw. However, he said the excessive travel caused many players to suffer from cramps due to fatigue.
The U.S. State Department and FIFA have not commented on the allegations.
