Iran looks to break through at World Cup despite tensions with US

Sports & Gaming Iran looks to break through at World Cup despite tensions with US Comments: by Ian Swanson - 06/26/26 6:00 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Ian Swanson - 06/26/26 6:00 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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The Iranian men’s national football team will attempt on Friday to advance into the knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite long odds, logistical hurdles and festering geopolitical tensions no other club in the tournament is facing.

The team surprised many football fans when it earned two draws in recent days against New Zealand and heavy favorite Belgium during group stage action.

The Iranians will face off against Egypt on Friday night, likely needing only a tie to punch their ticket to the knockout round of 32.

It all comes against a backdrop of continued political tensions with the United States, which is hosting the World Cup — and a nation it has been at war with this year.

The Iranian team, which has set up a training facility in Mexico during the tournament, has been forced to leave the United States in between matches because of what U.S. officials have said are security concerns.

Iranian players and coaches have pushed back on those restrictions and said it could impact the team’s performance on the pitch.

“When you consider what they’ve gone through, it’s remarkable that they’ve tied the two games they’ve played so far,” said Patrick Ridge, a professor of Spanish at Virginia Tech and an expert in World Cup history. “It’s looking unlikely they’ll be in situation to win their group, but tying a team like Belgium was pretty unexpected.”

Iran is in group G, which also includes Egypt, New Zealand and Belgium.

Belgium is 11th in FIFA’s world rankings. Iran, no slouch, is ranked 21, while Egypt, which boasts Premiere League stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, is ranked 26.

A win in Seattle on Friday evening against Egypt would guarantee Iran a spot in the knockout stage, with any potential match-up with the United States not on the schedule until the round of 16, should both nations continue to advance.

Geopolitics have loomed heavily over the Iranian club since they arrived in the U.S. for competition earlier this month.

Hundreds of Iranian supporters demonstrated outside of the Los Angeles stadium that hosted the squad’s showdown with Belgium. Some booed when the Iranian National Anthem was played before the match and at least one supporter was detained after they tried to run onto the pitch wearing a prerevolutionary flag shirt after the match was over.

Many of the Iranian players have suggested in media interviews they are solely focused on competing at a high level and have expressed gratitude for North American host cities for showing hospitality.

“From the Persia of thousands of years ago to the civilized Iran of today, the spirit of Iran remains alive and steadfast,” the team wrote in a note left in its locker room in Los Angeles that was later posted to social media. “We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and leave with dignity.”

Meanwhile a steady propaganda campaign has been playing out in Iran, accusing the United States and FIFA of using the World Cup to whitewash what the regime there says is an illegal and unnecessary military operation in the Middle East.

President Trump’s administration has also worked to justify placing increased travel restrictions and scrutiny on Iranian players, coaches and support staff.

Earlier this week, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the Iranians had “tried to get somebody in” the day before who had direct ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

The country’s soccer federation in a statement responding to Mullin called the claim “an outright and undeniable lie.”

“As far as I can tell, there is not a precedent for this,” said Mauricio Borrero, a historian at St. John’s University who has been following the World Cup for decades. “It strikes me as incredibly petty on the part of the U.S. government. The players can say it does not impact them, but it can’t ever be far off their minds.”

Some observers suggest that if Iran is to fall short in this year’s World Cup, the team could feasibly argue it was put at a competitive disadvantage during the tournament.

FIFA is unlikely to heed these accusations, these observers say, given the organization’s well-documented efforts to shore up relations with Trump’s administration.

A FIFA official told The Hill on Thursday its President Gianni Infantino has had regular exchanges with the Iran Football Federation “to ensure their smooth participation,” in the tournament and insisted its position on Iran “is no different than our position on all other” teams competing.

FIFA views the World Cup as “a unique opportunity to set aside differences and unite the world,” the official said.

Friday night’s match could also set up a cultural clash, with host city Seattle designating Iran vs. Egypt as its “Pride Match,” marked by activities and watch parties celebrating the LGBTQ community.

FIFA, in a statement to The Hill on Thursday, distanced itself from Seattle’s Pride Match, while the Iranian team said this week it “takes this matter seriously and has clearly communicated its position to FIFA.”

“Iran and Egypt are two Muslim countries with deep cultural and religious commonalities, and the views expressed by both federations reflects the values and beliefs shared by the people of both countries,” the Iranian team said in a statement to The Athletic.

“FIFA has been informed of this shared position by both countries and is expected to take the necessary steps to ensure that no related ceremonies or promotional activities take place within the stadium or as part of the official match environment.”

Observers say the back and forth over Pride celebrations adds to an already noisy environment the Iranian team finds itself playing through as it looks to make an improbable run in this year’s World Cup.

“It’s clear to me the Iranian team is being used, in a way, by the U.S. to fight the war, by the way they’ve been treated,” said Andres Rabinovich, a lecturer and expert in sports and pop culture at the University of Chicago. “What’s significant here is the two countries that are involved in a conflict could potentially face each other. So that would be a completely different iteration of soccer, war and politics.”

The Associated Press contributed.

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