Iran Calls for Fairer Treatment at World Cup 2026, Hopes for Better Preparation Against Egypt

Iran are once again in the spotlight after they expressed their dismay at the condition of their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign. Ahead of their crucial match against Belgium, head coach Amir Ghalenoei described the perceived lack of equal treatment and problems that have hampered their preparations.

According to Ghalenoei, after the 2-2 draw against New Zealand, Iran faced another travel problem. From Tijuana, Mexico to Los Angeles, they only had sixteen hours from arrival to the actual match against Belgium. Because of this, they only had half a rehearsal compared to Belgium who arrived early and completed a full training session.

"Everyone should understand that we are not being treated fairly. Our situation is getting worse," said Ghalenoei. Additionally, the mentor cited other glitches such as the non-arrival of some Iranian federation officials due to visa issues, and the cancellation of an important flight that further affected their plan.

Even though Iran's campaign is full of challenges, the coach is more optimistic about the preparations for their final match against Egypt. According to Ghalenoei, they were allowed to travel to Seattle earlier, two days before the game. This is seen by the team as a big help to prepare well compared to their experience before facing Belgium.

Iran's World Cup 2026 group stage campaign will end against Egypt on Friday, 21:00 local time. The team has full hopes to recover and show a better and prepared game.

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