The 2026 World Cup was always going to be a fraught tournament for Iran. After all, they are expected to play world-class football in a nation that’s spent months bombing their country.
But, as per Iran’s captain Mehdi Taremi, midfielder Mohammad Mohebi, and head coach Amir Ghalenoei, the team is facing unique and frustrating hurdles when it comes to competing and have criticized both FIFA and the US government for making them (as per Ghalenoei) “the most oppressed” team at the tournament.