June 15, 2026
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei and star forward Mehdi Taremi insisted their squad will be playing for all Iranians at the FIFA World Cup, even as the shadow of political unrest and potential protests looms over their tournament opener against New Zealand on Monday.
Team Melli touched down in Los Angeles on Sunday to begin their Group G campaign.
Following Monday’s clash with the Kiwis at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Iran will face Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, before traveling north to square off against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The tournament arrives at a highly volatile moment. Following military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February—hostilities that were reportedly subject to a peace deal on Sunday—the Iranian team faced severe visa processing issues.
