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People's Daily: Iran Team Bids Farewell to World Cup with Heads Held High

On June 28, all group stage matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded, with 32 teams advancing to the knockout rounds. Iran, in Group G, drew all three of their matches, accumulating 3 points. Ultimately, they finished third in the group with the ninth-best record among third-place teams and failed to advance, bidding a regretful farewell to this World Cup.

Although they did not achieve their goal of advancing to the knockout stage, Iran's performance in this tournament—holding the powerful Belgium team to a draw, fighting Egypt until the very last moment, and overcoming adverse match conditions unprecedented in World Cup history—earned them the respect of fans worldwide, including American fans. The Iran team can indeed leave the World Cup with their heads held high.

Iran's journey in this World Cup could be described as surreal.

According to the World Cup schedule, all three of Iran's group stage matches were held in the United States. The U.S. initially refused to issue visas for Iranian team members. Iran sought negotiations with FIFA and requested a change of venue but to no avail. Ultimately, Iran's base camp was relocated to Tijuana, Mexico. After a long wait, the Iranian players and coaches only received their U.S. visas ten days before the World Cup began.

Due to strict travel restrictions, Iran was only allowed to enter the U.S. one day before each match day and was required to leave the same day after the match, causing great inconvenience for their preparations.

Iranian captain Mehdi Taremi revealed that for their first group match against New Zealand, Iran chartered a flight from Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles—a distance of only 204 kilometers—but it took five hours due to security checks and immigration procedures.

On June 26, 2026, local time, in Seattle, Washington, USA, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G match between Egypt and Iran. (IC photo)

Before the first match, the Iranian Football Federation stated that Iran had been granted permission to stay overnight in the U.S. on match days. However, after the match, Iran's head coach, Ghalenoei, told the media that the team was suddenly ordered to leave the U.S. immediately.

"We had been here for less than 16 hours, and now we have to fly back to Mexico right away, departing again around 4 a.m.," Ghalenoei said. "When future generations look back at history, they will surely remember the contributions and sacrifices these players made for their country."

After holding the strong European team Belgium to a 0-0 draw, Iran left a note in the locker room before departing the U.S., thanking Los Angeles and stating that they fought for honor and left with dignity. They wrote: "From Persia thousands of years ago to today's Iran, the spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast." They also thanked their supporters for pouring their "hearts, voices, and souls" into the two matches and expressed hope that peace, respect, and friendship would endure among all nations.

After the match against Egypt, Iran left another note as they left Seattle, USA, which read: "We come from Iran, a land that values honor above victory. Fair play is not just words; it is the soul of football. Thank you, Seattle, for your hospitality. Iran stands tall forever."

Faced with such adverse match conditions, the Iran team demonstrated a high level of technical and tactical skill and strong willpower. Outstanding Iranian defender Rezaeian won the Man of the Match award after both the matches against New Zealand and Egypt, while the Man of the Match award for the match against Belgium was given to Iranian goalkeeper Beiranvand.