With the group stages of the 2026 World Cup coming to a close, the Iranian soccer team’s journey has been one of the stories of the tournament. Having navigated travel restrictions, logistical challenges, and heightened geopolitical tensions just to participate, Iran has punched above its weight on the pitch. Acknowledging both the team’s resilience and its performances, a senior tournament official revealed the immense pride in hosting them.
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Andrew Giuliani, the Executive Director of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force, was in a conversation with Sky Sports’ Yalda Hakim about the World Cup. When asked how he felt about hosting Iran, his response was straightforward.
“We’re very honored to be able to facilitate an even playing field for this team at the FIFA World Cup,” he stated.
Iran played two games at the Los Angeles Stadium in the group stages. They flew from their training camp in Tijuana, Mexico, the day before each game under travel arrangements imposed during the tournament, before returning to their base afterward. They were cheered by an extremely vociferous Iranian-American community in the region.
Ahead of Friday’s decisive clash against Egypt in Seattle, U.S. officials eased those restrictions by allowing Iran to arrive two days before kickoff instead of one, giving the squad additional time to recover and prepare after coach Amir Ghalenoei repeatedly argued that the earlier schedule had placed his team at a disadvantage.
The team left a heart-warming note in the locker room after their clash against Belgium.
“We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and left with dignity. Thank you, Los Angeles, for your hospitality. And thank you to every Iranian who gave their heart, voice, and soul for Iran throughout these 180 minutes,” a part of the note read.
The message also concluded with a call for “peace, respect and friendship among all nations,” reflecting the team’s effort to keep the focus on football despite the political backdrop surrounding its campaign.
Giuliani referenced this note and also highlighted how thankful the Iranian captain, Mehdi Taremi, was in his post-match speech after the game against New Zealand.
Iran will play their third and final group stage game against Egypt at Seattle Stadium on Friday night.
A victory away from historic qualification
Iran emerged as the surprise package of the tournament with their gritty performances after not having the best preparation. The 2-2 draw against New Zealand is an early contender for the game of the tournament. Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebi scored in each half as they came from behind twice to earn a point.
They came close to snatching three points against the higher-ranked Belgium. Despite having a man-advantage for the last quarter of the game, they failed to score as the game ended 0-0. The result leaves Group G in a fine balance ahead of the final matchday. Each team has a chance to advance to the round of 32 with a victory.
Iran has never made it out of the group stages at the World Cup. Across their seven appearances, they have only picked up three victories and have always crashed out in the group stages.
A victory will surely punch their ticket to the round of 32. They might even top Group G if they manage to better Belgium’s result against New Zealand. A draw might be enough depending on the outcome of Belgium’s match, while qualifying as one of the better third-placed teams would require other results to fall in Iran’s favor. A defeat will certainly spell the end of the road for them at the FIFA World Cup.
“When the game starts, our entire focus is on the field and not on what’s happening off it,” Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said in a pre-match press conference. “We are here to play football. For nothing else.”
