Iran Captain Mehdi Taremi Blasts FIFA Over 'Disaster World Cup' In Furious Post-match Interview After Egypt Draw

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi took a dig at FIFA following his side's 1-1 draw against Egypt in a World Cup match in Seattle. Iran now needs to wait for a nervy few hours to know their fate as they could be one of the eight best placed third teams to secure a place in the RO32.

Iran Captain Slammed FIFA Over World Cup Restrictions

There had been concerns over Iran's participation in this edition of the FIFA World Cup 2026 due to the tension with the USA. They, however, confirmed their participation in the tournament but were given a strict protocol regarding their visit to the USA. Earlier, US authorities confirmed they would ease the restrictions imposed on the Iranian team for the World Cup. They were required to travel to the USA from their base in Tijuana, Mexico, only on the day before the match and needed to return to their base right after their match. They could now travel to the USA two days before the match.

Now, Taremi slammed the US authorities and termed the FIFA World Cup 2026 a disaster. Taremi told reporters, "Yeah, we have to go back. We have always complained about these things since the beginning. It's a disaster, World Cup disaster. I mean, FIFA, they have to solve every problem here, but unfortunately, they couldn't solve it since the beginning."

"Mr Infantino came to our changing room in the first game and said it's just the beginning, but it's the group stage finish tomorrow, and we don't have our logistics people here. They don't have a visa."

Iran Coach, Captain Voiced Their Anger

Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, had already voiced his frustration after his team was instructed to leave the USA immediately following their World Cup opener against New Zealand. Captain Mehdi Taremi had earlier also highlighted the difficulties the squad faced travelling from Mexico to the United States for games. He pointed out that what should have been a routine and easy trip turned into an ordeal with extensive security checks and procedures.

Also Read: Lionel Scaloni Confirms Lionel Messi Won't Start Against Jordan Despite Leading FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot List