Iran’s national football team was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 27 after a 1-1 draw with Egypt left it dependent on other results that did not go its way, with players citing repeated bad luck and challenging preparations linked to the U.S.-Iran conflict. Captain Mehdi Taremi called the tournament a disaster and said FIFA failed to solve problems from the beginning, The New York Times reported. Al Jazeera noted that the squad trained in Mexico and traveled to the United States only on match days due to security issues.
The draw featured Ramin Rezaeian scoring the equalizer before a late winner by Shoja Khalilzadeh was disallowed for offside via VAR. Iran had three goals overturned by VAR in the group stage, the highest total of any team, according to Al Jazeera. Coach Amir Ghalenoei told state television that it seemed God was against the team at times while highlighting the unprecedented restrictions.
Rezaeian, awarded man of the match, issued an emotional apology to fans after the game. “People of Iran, we love you so much. Forgive us. I can only say, forgive us. All the boys are ashamed,” he said. “We played very good football, but I don’t know what’s wrong with us. I hope you, who deserve the best in this world, get what you deserve.”
Iranian social media users pushed back against such appeals by telling the players they had lost support well before the tournament. One message addressed to Rezaeian stated, “You were eliminated long ago, the moment you turned your backs on those who lost their lives.” Additional comments asserted, “This is not a national team that represents the people,” according to accounts of the online reactions.
Al Jazeera reported that for a second consecutive World Cup the national team lacked unified backing from Iranians inside the country and in the diaspora because of fallout from protests against the Islamic Republic. The outlet tied the sentiment to events following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Many players attended government gatherings after recent U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran, further straining relations with segments of the public.
In contrast to the current squad, goalkeeper Mohammad Rashid Mazaheri was detained after he supported the protesters in 2022, Al Jazeera added. The elimination has amplified discussions of a broader societal divide that extends beyond football. Iran’s soccer federation had expressed doubts about even participating in the tournament as early as March 2026 amid the regional conflict, ESPN reported.
