LOS ANGELES/TIJUANA, Mexico : Iran’s national soccer team arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday ahead of their opening World Cup match against New Zealand, hours after the United States and Iran announced plans to sign a peace agreement aimed at ending months of conflict.
The squad landed at Los Angeles International Airport following a short flight from Tijuana, Mexico, where they had been based since relocating their World Cup training camp from Arizona.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said his team hoped football could provide a source of pride and unity for Iranians around the world.
“I am very happy to be representing the great, proud and strong nation of Iran,” Ghalenoei told reporters through a translator at Los Angeles Stadium.
“I hope that football will bring about joy and enjoyment, and bring closer the cultures and countries.”
Iran face New Zealand in their Group G opener on Monday in a match taking place against an extraordinary geopolitical backdrop.
The encounter comes days after Washington and Tehran announced a peace deal intended to end a conflict that had disrupted preparations for the tournament and heightened security concerns surrounding Iran’s participation.
Iran shifted their World Cup base camp to Mexico after military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets earlier this year. The move means the team must travel from Mexico to the United States for each of its group-stage matches.
Ghalenoei said the logistical challenges had affected preparations, adding that visa issues had prevented some members of Iran’s football delegation from entering the United States.
The peace agreement is expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday, according to statements posted on social media by U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Meanwhile, a group of demonstrators gathered near Los Angeles Stadium before Iran’s arrival, calling for democratic reforms in Iran and criticising the country’s government.
Protesters carried signs bearing anti-government slogans and displayed photographs of individuals they said had died following detention by Iranian authorities.
Despite the political tensions surrounding the fixture, Iranian supporters in Tijuana gave the team a warm farewell before their departure, waving flags and cheering as the players left for Los Angeles.
Iran and New Zealand have never previously met at a FIFA World Cup. The match is expected to draw significant attention both for its sporting significance and for the wider political context surrounding Iran’s participation in the tournament.
