Iran’s World Cup team will lodge a complaint with FIFA claiming they are being subjected to travel restrictions during the tournament in North America, the Iranian football federation spokesman said on Thursday (June 18, 2026).

“Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran’s national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff’s plans,” the spokesman said.

Iran wanted to fly from their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to the United States two days before their next match, against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 21, 2026).

But the Iranian federation claims its request was turned down.

“Given that the game will be played at 12:00 p.m. local time in Los Angeles, the Football Federation of Iran requested that the team be allowed to travel to Los Angeles two days before the match,” the spokesman said.

“The aim was to provide sufficient time for players to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalize preparations.

“Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied.”

Iran opened its politically charged World Cup by playing to a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday night (June 15, 2026), overcoming two deficits and getting the tying goal from Mohammad Mohebbi in the 64th minute.

Ramin Rezaeian scored an early goal and assisted on Mohebbi’s goal for the Iranians, whose World Cup cycle has been in upheaval since the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran on February 28. Iran ultimately decided to compete even after FIFA rejected its request to move its three group-stage matches out of the U.S.

FIFA World Cup 2026: Iran vs New Zealand HIGHLIGHTS

Iran moved its training base during the tournament from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, and the team is flying into the U.S. on the day before each game, before returning quickly to Mexico. Captain Mehdi Taremi acknowledged that this World Cup has been a difficult experience containing little of the joy that football represents to him and his teammates.

Team Melli began the tournament before a strong pro-Iranian crowd at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, which has the world’s largest population of Iranians outside Iran. While several hundred Iranian Americans protested the government outside, many fans from the diaspora jeered and turned their backs on the field during the national anthem — but almost all appeared to support the Iranian players once the match kicked off.

Elijah Just scored early in each half for New Zealand, but Iran responded twice to keep the All Whites winless in their World Cup history. New Zealand still matched its entire goal total from each of its two previous World Cup runs while posting an impressive result against a team ranked 65 places higher by FIFA.

After the raucous pregame atmosphere, New Zealand stunned the crowd in the seventh minute when captain Chris Wood intercepted a goal kick and eventually forced the ball to Just, who volleyed home a beautiful goal in traffic.

Iran found its footing and equalized in the 32nd minute when Rezaeian chipped a goal with the outside of his boot.

Just connected again in the 54th minute with more help from Wood, who held up play and found Just for a shot through traffic.

But Iran equalized again in the 64th minute when Rezaeian put a perfect long pass on the head of Mohebbi. Both teams had scoring chances afterward, but couldn’t connect.

Players from both teams embraced and shook hands after the final whistle, with at least one jersey swap occurring. While Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei sat by himself in the dugout, his players gathered together and walked around the field applauding their thousands of flag-waving, roaring fans.

Iran is ranked 20th in its seventh World Cup appearance, including four straight. Team Melli has never advanced from the group stage.

New Zealand qualified for its first World Cup since 2010 despite being the lowest-rated team in the field, entering at 85th in the world. The All Whites seized the first automatic qualifying berth for the 13-member Oceania Football Confederation after the World Cup expanded to 48 teams.

‌Iran’s football team arrived in the United States for the first time at this World Cup on ​Sunday (June 14, 2026), landing at Los Angeles International Airport just before a peace deal between the nations was announced. ⁠

The squad arrived after a short flight from Tijuana, Mexico, where they left their base camp earlier to a rousing sendoff ahead of their opening game against New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on Monday. The A320 aircraft touched down on runway 25L at 4:11 p.m. ET on its second landing attempt under sunny skies at the airport, which is about 15 minutes from the Los Angeles Stadium that will host Iran’s World Cup opener against New Zealand on Monday.

The players were expected to ‌head to their hotel where a police security presence was already in place. Sidewalks were being blocked off by ‌police, ⁠who were extending concertina security coils along sections of the front of the hotel.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei and striker ⁠Mehdi Taremi are scheduled to take part in a press conference at Los Angeles Stadium at 6:45 p.m. ET.

The squad’s Group G fixture against New Zealand will be played against the backdrop of the U.S. war with Iran and the newly announced peace deal, adding a charged atmosphere to a ​contest between two nations who have never met at ‌the World Cup. Iran moved their World Cup base camp from a sports complex in Arizona to Mexico late last month after the U.S. and Israel conducted joint strikes on Iran beginning in late February.

The U.S.-Iran deal to end the war will be signed during an official ceremony on Friday in Switzerland, U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime ‌Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on social media on Sunday.

‘Bring an end to this regime’

While the squad flew to LA, ​a group of protesters calling for democracy in Iran and denouncing its government rallied near Los Angeles Stadium.

“No Shah – No Mullah in Iran – Regime Change by Iranians,” said placards. Pictures and posters of athletes ⁠who protesters said had died after being arrested by the Iranian government lined a busy street corner in Inglewood.

The January crackdown on protests in Iran, which rights groups and activists say killed thousands – and possibly tens of thousands – was a particular outrage to Mojgan ‌Ramezani, 56, an Iranian American at the rally.

“They’re holding hostage their own people,” said Ramezani.

Hassan Haddadi, 70, said he was frustrated that most of the world’s governments had done little to support change in Iran.

“We’re hoping to bring awareness to the western world, to somehow do something beyond just condemning, to bring an end to this regime,” said Haddadi.

‘Mexico stands with you’

Earlier in Tijuana, supporters lining five-deep on a packed sidewalk outside Iran’s hotel chanted “Team Melli” — Persian for “national team” — as the Iranian players emerged from the hotel and walked towards the waiting bus.

Many of the players waved and smiled at those who had gathered while some members of ‌the delegation took video of the scene with their phones.

One supporter held a yellow sign with black lettering reading: “Iran, you will never walk alone. Mexico ​stands with you.”

A young boy perched on someone’s shoulders clutched the official Panini FIFA World Cup 2026 sticker album, open to the Iran squad page.

At one point, the crowd sang in Spanish, “Iran, brother, you are ⁠Mexican now.”

Iranian football federation President Mehdi Taj stood outside the hotel as the players left with many of the supporters following the bus ⁠down the street as it drove away. The Iranian community in Tijuana is tiny – around 20 people – and much smaller than that of Los Angeles, which is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. Tens of thousands ‌of Iranian-Americans live in Los Angeles, where a distinct diaspora often referred to as “Tehrangeles” has taken root.

This is the first World Cup since its inception in 1930 in which a host nation has received a country it is at war ​with.