Iran coach says team 'oppressed' by travel chaos after 2‑2 draw

Iran's coach described the squad as facing oppressive travel disruptions after last-minute changes tied to Iran–U.S. tensions, a situation he said affected performance in a 2-2 draw with New Zealand. The national federation had moved the team’s base from Arizona to Mexico amid visa uncertainty, with Iran's ambassador to Mexico confirming mounting restrictions to Reuters. Ghalenoei, 62, said the team had been told to stay in Los Angeles overnight to recover, then return to Mexico, but the plan was reversed without explanation. He declined to identify who imposed the restriction, and there was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department or FIFA. The disruption occurred as the team prepared for competition on U.S. soil amid broader regional tensions and a peace process in flux. Mehdi Taremi said the restrictions prevented the team from performing at their best and described a chaotic travel sequence. He recounted moving from Tijuana to Los Angeles, then to their hotel and finally to the stadium, noting that two days to settle in would have helped. Taremi added that FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited Iran's dressing room on Monday. Ghalenoei also cited the absence of key backroom staff due to visa restrictions, forcing coaches to take on extra responsibilities on the bench. Despite the disruption, the coach praised his players' resilience after the draw and said fatigue from travel had taken a toll on several players.