TOI correspondent from Washington: In an impressive display of footballing resilience and bureaucratic resilience, the Iranian national football team managed to earn a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in Los Angeles.It was an impressive feat, given that the team achieved this while working within a logistical pipeline that appeared to have been designed by Franz Kafka and implemented by the Department of Homeland Security.
Unfortunately, the applause for Iran’s determination had barely faded before the Iranian national team’s players found themselves in a completely different conflict: a frantic rush to the airport.Iran’s coach, Amir Ghalinoi, did not mince his words after the match, revealing that instead of spending the night in Los Angeles to recover, his team were instructed to board a flight back to their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, immediately after the final whistle.
He said, “They did not even give us time to recover. After the match today, they asked us to leave immediately.”Dejected striker Mehdi Tarmi said: “The World Cup is a disaster for us. We do not want to make excuses, but it is not a fair competition.”At most World Cups, footballers cool off with ice baths and tactical briefings. The Iranian recovery program appears to consist of locating passports, removing belts for a security check, and asking whether their carry-on luggage exceeds the permitted weight.
One joked that the pre-match warm-up was not tactical drills or hamstring stretches, but rather a three-hour seminar on how to maintain your composure while US agents scan biometric data.The sheer psychological pressure of navigating through US immigration twice in 24 hours made New Zealand’s high-pressure backline look like an ordinary Sunday outing.However, if the journey was exhausting, the match itself was enthralling.
Played in Los Angeles, home to one of the world’s largest Persian diaspora, the game unfolded against a politically charged backdrop.Some Iranian supporters waved the pre-revolution lion and sun flag associated with opponents of the current regime. Others supported Team Milli without reservation. There were reports of flags being confiscated, fans sewing various parts of the banned logo inside the stadium, and emotional confrontations in the stands.
The Iranian national anthem at the start of the match was met with jeers and cheers.It is strikingly ironic that the match took place shortly after the United States and Iran emerged from direct military confrontation.However, on American soil, Iranians freely criticized their government, royalists deployed banned symbols with remarkable subtlety, and the Iranian team itself, which sought to rise above politics, received sympathy from tens of thousands of spectators.FIFA President Gianni Infantino, a Trump aide, visited the dressing room in Iran after the match to offer words of condolence and encouragement. He told the players: “You are writing history and the whole world is watching you.” “You are stronger than anything.” Good words, although the players would probably prefer to emphasize the possibility of spending the night in Los Angeles.It is not surprising that the Iranian delegation directed its highest praise not to FIFA or Washington, but to Mexico.Team officials praised the Mexican government for protecting and hosting them, its hospitality in sharp contrast to the United States, which is accused of acting less like a celebratory host and more like an overly paranoid bouncer at an exclusive nightclub.Iran is not alone in its complaints. There is a dark cloud of institutional paranoia hanging over the entire tournament. Several visiting teams, including Uruguay and Senegal, have complained of oppressive and intrusive security measures, and restrictive movements that make players feel less like elite athletes and more like high-value detainees.Videos circulated showing Senegalese players being subjected to individual inspections upon their arrival in the United States, leading to online accusations of discriminatory treatment compared to European teams.The absolute climax of this bureaucratic dysfunction was reached when a Somali referee, officially appointed by FIFA to officiate matches, was flatly denied entry to the United States and summarily sent back on the next available flight.
The last time he heard that, he was blowing the whistle on political power in Mogadishu.This bleak, castle-like impression is compounded by the sight of vast expanses of empty seats in many famous stadiums. American organizers, miscalculating the intersection between public enthusiasm and rampant capitalism, priced tickets out of the reach of ordinary working fans.FIFA promised to hold a festival of global unity. At times it resembled an exclusive Broadway production where the cheapest seats cost more than a month’s wages in some countries.
