Iran footballers far from enjoying World Cup vibes in US despite peace deal

As the Iranian national football team faces immense pressure in the US, where it is now for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mehdi Taremi, arguably the squad’s best player, has conceded that such a situation takes away much of the joy of playing in such a marquee tournament. He said this hours before the US and Iran confirmed that a peace deal was on the way to end the ongoing hostilities in West Asia.

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In a press conference after reaching the US from Mexico for their first two matches, he said, “This kind of tension undermines the joy of the World Cup.”

Iran's endless problems in World Cup

The Asian side has found itself navigating strong US visa policies, diplomatic pressure and even protests from the Iranian diaspora, many members of which see the footballers as representatives of the Iranian regime, which is often accused of repressing its own people. Iran became the first country in the World Cup’s 96-year history to be received by a country with which it is at war.

In a vitiated climate influenced by the ongoing political turbulence, Taremi said the controversy surrounding their participation in the World Cup mars FIFA’s message of peace. He also said that he could feel the tension before arriving in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 14) from their base camp in Mexico, hours before the peace deal was confirmed. Will it help reduce the pressure on the Iranian players?

Iran begins campaign against New Zealand on June 15

Iran will launch their campaign in the tournament on Monday (June 15) against New Zealand in Group G. Belgium and Egypt are the other two sides in the group.

Iran’s preparations for the on-field performance have also been hit by the current situation. Their base camp was shifted from Arizona in the US to Tijuana in Mexico. Several officials of the squad were denied entry to the US.

Also read: US, Iran confirm reaching peace deal; Hormuz to open on June 19

Taremi, who plays for Greek club Olympiakos, said he wished the atmosphere at the World Cup was better and hoped that things would be better for all fans, irrespective of the teams they are supporting.

He said it’s not only Iran that has been impacted. Citing the case of Somalian referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry on grounds of suspicion that he is associated with suspected members of terror organisations, the footballer said he felt the tension soon after they arrived for the tournament. According to him, people generally look forward to sensation when it comes to a tournament like the World Cup, and it was missing this time.

Team preparations hampered, concedes coach

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei also said that the team’s preparations were hampered in such a situation. The absence of Sardar Azmoun, who was not picked by Iran over alleged disloyalty towards Tehran, has already hurt the side’s chances. Both Taremi and Ghalenoei did all they could not to mix sports with politics.

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Iran's squad landed in Los Angeles after their plane's second attempt at landing, arriving at their Manhattan Beach hotel to a mixed reception — Iranian protesters and a heavy security presence, including drones, mobile surveillance, and sniffer dogs. The setting is fitting: California is home to roughly 375,000 Iranians, the largest diaspora outside Iran itself, with a western stretch of LA around Westwood so densely Iranian it's nicknamed “Tehrangeles”, thanks to a massive Iranian diaspora.

However, Taremi and his team felt far away from home.

This is not the first time that Iran has faced tense moments in a World Cup owing to political reasons. In the 1998 edition in France, their group game with the US was overshadowed by the two nations’ disturbed political ties, but the players came up with on-ground gestures of solidarity.

Iran have never crossed the group stage in the World Cup.