Iran’s troubled FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign took another dramatic turn on Monday when FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a surprise visit to the team’s dressing room following their 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles, where he personally addressed the players and vowed to help resolve the visa crisis that has overshadowed their tournament.
A video circulating on social media showed Infantino speaking to the Iranian squad after the Group G encounter, praising their resilience amid difficult circumstances and urging them to remain focused on the remainder of the competition.
“You are writing history, the whole world is watching you,” Infantino told the players. “You showed to your families, friends, to your people, to the world, that you’re in the World Cup and you have two more games to go. In these two games, you will make everyone in the world proud again.”
The FIFA chief also acknowledged the challenges the team had faced off the pitch.
“I know what you go through, I understand, but you are stronger than everything. You are sending such a strong message to the world,” he said. “Continue to play with your heart, for your people, your families, your fans and for everyone in the world that is falling in love with Team Melli.”
Iran open up to Infantino
Speaking after the match, Iran captain Mehdi Taremi confirmed that Infantino had visited the dressing room and listened to the team’s concerns regarding the logistical issues that have disrupted their World Cup preparations.
Taremi had earlier described Iran’s tournament as a “disaster” after a series of travel and immigration complications left the squad scrambling in the build-up to the competition.
Iran were initially scheduled to base themselves in Tucson, Arizona, but abandoned those plans amid fears over immigration-related complications. Instead, the team shifted operations to Tijuana in Mexico and has been forced to fly into the United States shortly before matches.
Those fears proved justified. After arriving in Mexico, 15 members of Iran’s support staff were reportedly denied visas to enter the United States, where all of the team’s group-stage matches are being played. While some approvals were later granted, 11 members of the delegation remained unable to travel.
Infantino promises help
According to reports, Infantino assured the players that FIFA would do everything possible to assist the Iranian delegation and facilitate travel arrangements for those still affected by the visa restrictions.
The FIFA president is understood to have told the squad that he would personally work to ensure more members of the delegation could join the team for their remaining Group G fixtures against Belgium and Egypt.
The disruption has left Iran without key personnel throughout the tournament. The team arrived in Los Angeles without both of their media officers, several analysts and federation president Mehdi Taj.
The situation became so severe that one of the team’s analysts had to double up as a media liaison during post-match duties involving Taremi and teammate Mohammad Mohebi.
