2026 World Cup Key News
Central News Report
(CNA, Los Angeles, 14th - International Wire) The Iranian national football team participating in this year's FIFA World Cup arrived in the United States for the first time today, landing at Los Angeles International Airport, on the very same day that a peace agreement between the United States and Iran was officially announced.
Iran is scheduled to play their opening match against New Zealand tomorrow at a stadium in Los Angeles. Today, after concluding training at their base in Tijuana, Mexico, the team took a short-haul flight to Los Angeles. They were warmly seen off by a large crowd of fans before departure.
Iranian head coach Amir Ghalenoei, speaking through an interpreter at a press conference at the stadium, said: "I am very happy to represent the great and strong nation of Iran... I hope football can bring joy and beauty, and also bring different countries and cultures closer together."
At the end of last month, Iran moved their World Cup training base from a sports complex in Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.
Iran will need to travel from Mexico to the U.S. for all three of their upcoming group stage matches. Coach Ghalenoei noted that the constant back-and-forth travel, combined with some team members being denied U.S. visas, has created unfavorable conditions for the team.
On the same day the Iranian team arrived in Los Angeles, U.S. President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both announced on social media that the U.S. and Iran have reached a peace agreement, with an official signing ceremony scheduled to take place in Switzerland on the 19th. (Translation: Chi-Chin Ling) 1150615
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- Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
- Category: Event