Iran Arrives in the U.S. for the First Time as World Cup Tensions Shadow Opening Match

Iran’s national team landed in the United States for the first time on the eve of its opening 2026 World Cup match, after months of political tension between Iran and the U.S. The squad held an unusual press conference in Los Angeles on Monday, less than 24 hours before kickoff, with midfielder Mehdi Taremi saying, “I felt the pressure from the moment I arrived at the team camp. The pressure started long before we landed in the United States.”

Taremi, one of Iran’s biggest stars and playing in his third World Cup, said the atmosphere was hurting the tournament experience. “Pressure of this kind really damages the joy of the World Cup,” he said. “Football is supposed to unite peoples and cultures. It is about creating joy. These conditions affected our focus, but I tried to make sure the players concentrated on strategy and performance.”

Because of the conflict, Iran was initially not allowed into the United States and moved its training camp to Mexico, near the border. Later, the players and coaching staff, but not the federation officials, received temporary U.S. entry visas valid for only 24 hours from the moment they enter. That means the team must arrive on match day and leave immediately afterward.

The timing coincided with President Donald Trump’s announcement of a peace agreement, and Iran’s media appearance and first match came on the day the deal was signed. The team declined to comment on the agreement itself and said it was focused on football. Iran plays New Zealand overnight Monday to Tuesday at 4:00 a.m. as a heavy favorite, faces Belgium on June 21 in a more intriguing match, and closes the group stage against Egypt on June 27 in a game dedicated to the LGBTQ community, against the wishes of both teams. If Iran and the United States both finish second in their groups, they could meet in the next round in a match expected to draw global attention.