‘This must never happen again’: Iran coach hits out at the US and tells Infantino to stand up against hosts

FolioPitch.com – 27 June 2026 | ‘This must never happen again’: Iran coach hits out at the US and tells Infantino to stand up against hosts. After a dramatic 1-1 draw with Egypt that left Iran’s World Cup knockout hopes dangling, head coach Amir Ghalenoei unleashed a scathing attack on the United States and called on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to take a stronger stance. ‘This must never happen again,’ Ghalenoei declared, referring to what he called the ‘unfair treatment’ his team has endured since arriving in the co-host nation.

Iran’s campaign has been plagued by logistical nightmares, including the denial of visas for 11 senior officials and being forced to relocate their training base to Tijuana, Mexico. ‘To my players and the team, I want to say to them I’m proud of them,’ Ghalenoei said after the match in Seattle. ‘What these young people, these players have done, it should be written in history because the host country treated us very unfairly.’

The coach’s remarks come after Infantino visited Iran’s dressing room following their opening Group G match against New Zealand, telling the squad ‘you are stronger than everything.’ But Ghalenoei noted that little has improved since. ‘Mr Infantino came to our changing room after the first game and said: “It’s just the beginning.” But the group stage finishes tomorrow and we don’t have our logistic people here, they don’t have a visa. How is that possible?’ he asked. ‘This must never happen again,’ Ghalenoei said, repeating his call for Infantino to stand up to the U.S. authorities.

Captain Mehdi Taremi echoed the frustration, accusing FIFA of failing to resolve the issues. ‘Since the beginning, it’s a disaster World Cup,’ Taremi said. ‘FIFA has to solve every problem here, but unfortunately they couldn’t solve this since the beginning.’ Asked if he felt the U.S. and FIFA wanted Iran out of the tournament, Taremi replied: ‘We have to fight against everything here. I don’t know what people want or know, but as we see it by our perspective, yeah, they’d like that, I think.’

On the pitch, Iran came agonizingly close to a historic first knockout-stage berth. Shoja Khalilzadeh had a stoppage-time winner ruled out for offside, and Saeid Ezatolahi hit the crossbar. Now Iran must wait for results elsewhere to know their fate. But the off-field battles have overshadowed the sporting achievement. ‘This must never happen again,’ Ghalenoei insisted, urging Infantino to show leadership. ‘FIFA’s president must stand up against the hosts. We are not asking for special treatment, only fair treatment.’

The U.S. State Department has not commented on the specific allegations, but visa disputes are common in major international events. As Iran’s players headed to Tijuana for an overnight flight, the sense of injustice lingered. The team remains hopeful of advancing, but the broader message from Ghalenoei is clear: ‘This must never happen again.’ Whether Infantino heeds the call may define the legacy of this World Cup.