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‘If They Want Us To Be Out, Then OK’: Iran Captain Mehdi Taremi Lashes Out At Gianni Infantino Over FIFA World Cup 2026 Mismanagement

By Samira Vishwas

Iran national football team captain Mehdi Taremi fired a verbal salvo at both FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino on Saturday concerning “gross mismanagement and visa issues” throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup build-up. Speaking in the aftermath of Iran’s hard-fought 1-1 stalemate with Egypt at the Seattle Stadium, the experienced striker accused the governing body of “lack of permission for our staff to travel to the US, requiring Iran set up base camps in Tijuana to prepare their trip for matches before travelling back to USA as the games kick off soon” – a decision that led to a fit of rage among staff within the team’s changing room on the eve of the competition.

Furious Mehdi Taremi Explains Logistical Meltdown And Explodes Over FIFA Empty Assurances

The friction inside the travelling camp blew up into the open last Thursday when touring camp chief Mehdi Taremi stated they were being made to participate in a “fraudulent event”, accusing tournament administration of corruption under the national governing authority. The team management exploded following a spate of significant visa denials, which ultimately barred 11 vital supporting employees from entering the nation to bolster the touring squad. Lacking all physical and rehabilitation help, team members had been compelled to stay in Tijuana, Mexico, crossing the border to attend every single game.

Targeting FIFA president Gianni Infantino directly after their final group fixture, a furious Taremi blasted:

“It’s a disaster World Cup; a disaster. I mean, FIFA, they have to solve every problem here but unfortunately they could not solve it since the beginning. Mr Infantino came to our changing room after the first game against New Zealand and said, ‘It’s just the beginning’.”

The star striker did not hold back on the logistical nightmare of travelling from Mexico to the US before games:

“We don’t have our logistic people here – they don’t have a visa. How is it possible we always have to travel from Tijuana? We love the people in Tijuana. We love Mexico. They are humble people and we love them but as a professional player in a professional competition, it’s not right. It’s not fair. Our opinion is, it’s not fair. Is it fair for FIFA? OK, good to them. But it’s not fair. Who wants to help us? If they want us to be out, then OK, let’s get out. But that’s not fair.”

Iran Football Team Delivers Heroic Performances In Group Stage Despite Facing Severe Hospitality Hardships

Despite navigating an unprecedented logistical nightmare off the pitch, the Asian powerhouses delivered exceptionally resilient displays on the grass throughout their Group stage campaign. The understaffed unit remained incredibly tough to break down for their opponents, opening their tournament journey with highly tactical draws against European heavyweights Belgium and New Zealand to stay alive in the qualification matrix.

“Their behaviour towards us has been really terrible and we hope the world will be aware of that. They didn’t let us come two weeks earlier and two days earlier before every game. This has really hurt us. And we had a war as well. Despite all of these problems, we’ve been able to perform well and the world is proud of Iranians and our team.”

Their dramatic group path concluded with that intense 1–1 draw against African giants Egypt at the Seattle Stadium. Trailing early, Team Melli showcased supreme fighting spirit to grab a vital point. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei was brutally direct about his team’s heroic efforts despite the host nation treating them unfairly.

Also WATCH – Marcelo Bielsa Loses His Cool, Blasts Reporter Following Uruguay’s World Cup Exit

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The post ‘If They Want Us To Be Out, Then OK’: Iran Captain Mehdi Taremi Lashes Out At Gianni Infantino Over FIFA World Cup 2026 Mismanagement appeared first on NewsX.

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