Overview
- Iran completed a late flight from Tijuana to Los Angeles and are due to play New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in the Group G opener on Monday night.
- Players and coach said visa refusals, a changed training base and shortened preparation time have undermined the usual World Cup atmosphere.
- New Zealand’s coach Darren Bazeley and captain Chris Wood say their side are treating the game as a normal match and remain focused on football.
- Iran’s arrival was met by anti-regime demonstrators and a heightened security presence around the team hotel and stadium.
- Iran enter as the higher-ranked side with Mehdi Taremi leading the attack while Sardar Azmoun is absent, and the disruption could affect on-field performance and fan dynamics.