Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has accused the United States of unfair treatment during their World Cup campaign, calling on FIFA to intervene in future tournaments. The Iranian squad faced significant logistical challenges throughout the competition, including restrictions on their movement and training arrangements. Iran's World Cup hopes now hang in the balance after drawing 1-1 with Egypt in their final Group G match.

Their training base was abruptly relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico before the tournament began, forcing the team to adjust their preparations at the last minute. For matches in Los Angeles, Iran's players could only enter the United States on the day before kickoff and were required to depart immediately after the game, severely limiting their ability to acclimatize properly.

Travel restrictions were slightly relaxed for the Seattle fixture, allowing arrival two days in advance, but the team still had to return to Tijuana afterward. Ghalenoei praised his players' resilience despite these obstacles, stating their performance under difficult circumstances should be recorded in history. He directly urged FIFA to prevent host nations from treating visiting teams similarly in future World Cups.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino had previously defended the organization's efforts to ensure Iran's participation, calling it remarkable that they made it to the tournament at all given the circumstances. His visit to Iran's dressing room after their opening draw with New Zealand highlighted FIFA's awareness of the diplomatic tensions surrounding the team's presence.