Iran national team arrive in the US to prepare for the World Cup; players admit they feel the tension

Updated: 2026-06-17｜Live data is subject to official announcements

Iran are arriving at the 2026 World Cup in a way unlike most other teams. Where other sides worry about training grounds, jet lag and injuries, Iran have had to deal with visas, protesters, and the logistical headache of basing their training camp in Mexico while having to cross the border into the United States to play. I have followed Group G closely for a long time (Iran, Belgium, Egypt, New Zealand), and this article lays out what has already happened as fact, the political background, and the parts that genuinely matter to viewers in Canada — I will state plainly what is confirmed and what is not yet settled.

The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and Iran’s Group G matches are all scheduled inside the United States. The problem is that the Iranian delegation was unable to set up a training base in the United States. They had originally planned to settle in Tucson, Arizona, but in the end, on FIFA’s advice, they made the Mexican border city of Tijuana their headquarters, having to cross from Mexico into the US West Coast for every match and return afterward. The delegation has also reported multiple visa obstructions: according to foreign media, as many as 14 members of the travelling party (including the president of the Iranian Football Federation, coaching support and media staff) were refused US visas, and even the assigned Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry.

At the pre-match press conference after their arrival, FIFA staff at one point reminded the media to keep questions focused on football, but the political atmosphere was hard to avoid. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said outright that the relevant US arrangements would harm the spirit of football; striker Mehdi Taremi said that the visa difficulties and the referee being refused entry, among other things, were creating “a lot of tension” around the World Cup. For readers, the point is not to judge who is right or wrong, but to understand that this is a team competing under intense political pressure, and that this backdrop will run through their entire group stage.

Iran’s opening match of the World Cup took place on 15 June 2026 at SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles area, against New Zealand, finishing 2-2. New Zealand’s Elijah Just, who plays for Motherwell in Scotland, scored twice (one in each half), both goals assisted by captain Chris Wood; Iran levelled twice through Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi, the latter’s header rescuing a point for the team. It is worth noting that several Iran players had not played a competitive match for some time, as their domestic league had been suspended since February, so holding their opponents to a draw in the opening game was a decent start.

The atmosphere off the pitch was equally part of this match. Protesters gathered around the stadium holding anti-government banners; in the stands, Iranian-heritage fans waved the pre-revolution “Lion and Sun” flag, and there were boos during the national anthem, but most of the crowd inside still backed Iran. For the Iranian diaspora, whether or not to cheer for this national team is in itself a complex and divisive emotional question. There was also an episode after the match: Ghalenoei said the team had originally expected to stay overnight in California to aid recovery, but within hours of the final whistle were told to fly back to Tijuana immediately, describing Iran as perhaps “the most oppressed team of the entire World Cup”; the US government, for its part, responded that an immediate return to Mexico after the match had been the established arrangement all along. The two accounts differ, and official announcements should be taken as authoritative going forward.

According to the schedule published so far, Iran’s second match will be on 21 June at SoFi Stadium against Belgium, kicking off at 12:00 local time (Pacific Time); the third match will be on 26 June at Lumen Field in Seattle against Egypt. Iran’s own three group-stage matches are all scheduled inside the United States, but Group G as a whole is spread across several venues on the US and Canadian West Coast — New Zealand vs Egypt and New Zealand vs Belgium are both set for BC Place in Vancouver, which is the part of Group G most directly relevant to viewers in Canada. Actual kick-off times and venue assignments may still be tweaked, so please rely on the latest announcements from FIFA’s official match centre.

If you live in Canada and want to watch Iran’s matches, there are a few things worth thinking through first. First, all three of Iran’s group-stage matches are in the United States: to be there in person, you will mostly have to cross the border to Los Angeles or Seattle; the rules for entering the US on a Canadian passport, and the applicability and validity of any electronic travel authorisation (such as ESTA), are subject to official US announcements, so be sure to confirm again before you travel. Second, Vancouver’s BC Place is hosting Group G matches: to see this group locally you do not necessarily have to leave the country — for exactly which matches and how ticketing works, it is best to check FIFA directly. Third, plan accommodation and transport early: demand in popular cities is high during the World Cup, so whether you head south into the US or stay in Canada to watch, it is best to arrange things as early as possible. Fourth, mind safety and regulations if attending in person: judging from the opening match, Iran’s games come with heavier security and off-field protests, and rules on items and flags brought into the stadium are stricter, so before bringing flags or banners it is best to confirm FIFA’s venue regulations first.

To find a place to watch the broadcast in Vancouver or Toronto, you can refer to our guide to where to watch and broadcasts in Canada; to keep track of the overall group-stage progress, see the World Cup group-stage schedule page.

Iran’s story this time is destined to be about more than just the scoreline. A team that has based itself in a third country, is shouldering political pressure and off-field protests, and was even told to leave overnight after the opening match — how the next two games (against Belgium and against Egypt) turn out will depend largely on whether they can keep these disruptions outside the pitch; holding New Zealand to a draw in the opener at least proves they remain competitive on a sporting level. For fans here in Canada, rather than chasing details that are not yet confirmed, it is better to remember three things first: the schedule is subject to official sources, cross-border documents should be prepared early, and Vancouver also has Group G matches locally — for the rest, wait for FIFA announcements to be updated.

This article was compiled by Let’s Canada and is not a reproduction of the original. For schedules, ticketing, entry and venue regulations, please refer to official announcements from FIFA and the relevant national authorities.