Iran accuse World Cup hosts of undermining fairness after visa denials and offside exit

Iran have issued a formal condemnation of their treatment at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, alleging that “a series of decisions, logistical arrangements, and circumstances” undermined the “sense of fairness” of the tournament — a statement that came hours after a senior US official boasted of celebrating the team’s elimination.

The Iranian squad left a handwritten note addressed to the people of Mexico following their group-stage exit, praising the warmth they received in Tijuana while raising pointed questions about the conditions they faced as a competing nation. “True hosting is about respect, humanity, and dignity,” the note read. “We will never forget the kindness of the people of Tijuana. From this day forward, Mexico will always be more than a host nation to us; it will be our second home and our second team.”

Iran had relocated their training base from Tucson, Arizona, to the Mexican border city of Tijuana in May in an attempt to navigate visa complications stemming from US-Iran tensions. Despite that move, 11 federation officials were still denied entry to the United States for the team’s three group matches — a logistical disruption that Iran’s note implicitly framed as deliberate obstruction.

Their campaign ended on the final matchday of the group stage when a stoppage-time goal against Egypt was ruled out for offside, a decision that would have sent Iran through to the last 32 had it stood. The note questioned whether all teams had competed “under equal conditions and equal professional standards,” describing the offside call as the last in a sequence of events that reinforced their sense of grievance.

“Perhaps one day history will judge who genuinely welcomed Iran’s presence at this World Cup, and who would have preferred our journey to end much sooner,” the note added. “Fair Play is not a slogan printed on advertising boards; it is the very identity of football. Yet this tournament reminded us that there is still a significant distance between inspiring words and meaningful actions.”

The statement drew additional weight from remarks made by Markwayne Mullin, the US Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, who said at a security briefing: “I was so happy when we were able to pull their visas and said they could leave US soil, and I might’ve sung a song or two or maybe even danced a happy dance.” Mullin also confirmed that Iran were required to leave the country immediately after each match, describing it as “just an agreement we had.”

Iran’s participation in the tournament had been in doubt for months following US and Israeli air strikes on Iran in February, making their eventual appearance at the finals a politically charged subplot throughout the group stage.