INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Iran's players celebrated earning a point in their FIFA World Cup opener Monday night at SoFi Stadium, but their focus quickly shifted from the field to what they described as unfair treatment surrounding the team's travel and preparation schedule.
Following Iran's 2-2 draw with New Zealand, veteran forward Mehdi Taremi and midfielder Mohammad Mohebi publicly criticized FIFA over logistical arrangements that forced the team to return to its base camp in Tijuana immediately after the match.
Iran is training in Tijuana during the tournament and traveled to Los Angeles only one day before its World Cup opener. According to the players, the team arrived Sunday afternoon, went directly to training and then participated in mandatory media obligations before playing Monday night's match.
"We must come here two days before the game," Mohebi said. "Yesterday we came, started the trip in the morning and arrived in the afternoon, and we directly went to training. We got tired. I think we're supposed to come here two days before the game. This kind of thing is not a little bit fair. We need fair competition."
Taremi echoed those concerns and questioned why Iran was required to immediately leave Los Angeles rather than remain in the city to recover before returning to Tijuana.
"It's supposed to be recovery tomorrow morning, then we fly to Tijuana," Taremi said. "But we have to leave Los Angeles right now and it's not good for us. In the World Cup, you have to prepare well for the next game because there is a lot of stress for the players and staff and everyone. But we don't have that support, and I think FIFA has to help us more than this."
The two players suggested the travel demands are affecting the team's preparation at one of the world's most demanding sporting events.
"We knew before the game that we had to leave LA," Taremi said. "It's a bad situation and we're tired of this situation because for the last two months we've had a lot of problems. It's so bad and it affects our team."
Taremi also revealed that Iran has raised its concerns directly with FIFA officials, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
"He went into the changing room and we asked him the same things," Taremi said. "For sure he wants to try to help us."
The frustrations extended beyond travel. Taremi said the Iranian delegation is operating without several key federation officials and support staff who would normally assist the team during a major international tournament.
"We don't have our media, we don't have our president of federation, we don't have vice president and some staff, which is so important for us," Taremi said. "There is no communication with FIFA for the players. As you see, our analyzer has to come here doing the job of the media. Everything is like disaster actually for us."
Despite the criticism, both players stressed they were not using the circumstances as an excuse for their performance and remain focused on advancing from the group stage.
"We don't follow excuses," Taremi said. "We're looking forward and having hope for the next two games. We will do our best for our people and bring joy for our supporters."
The players repeatedly praised the large Iranian-American crowd that created a vibrant atmosphere at SoFi Stadium, with Taremi describing it as feeling "like a home" match for Team Melli.
"We are always united with our people," Taremi said. "It doesn't matter if they're in Iran or outside of Iran. We want to make our people united."
Iran will now return to Tijuana before traveling back to Southern California for its next World Cup match, a journey the players hope FIFA will reconsider as the tournament progresses.