Mehdi Taremi, captain of Iran’s national football team, went public with a blistering critique of FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino on June 27, calling the 2026 World Cup a “disaster” for his squad. The Olympiacos striker didn’t mince words about what he described as a tournament marred by logistical failures, visa complications, and broken promises from the sport’s governing body.
The logistics nightmare
Iran’s World Cup base was located in Tijuana, Mexico. That decision created significant travel disruptions as the team shuttled back and forth across the US-Mexico border to reach their match venues in the United States.
Taremi revealed that 11 members of Iran’s support staff were unable to join the team because of visa obstacles. Support staff includes physiotherapists, analysts, equipment managers, and other personnel who are essential to a team’s day-to-day operations at a tournament.
Infantino’s locker room visit
