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'Mexico stands with you': Iran greeted by passionate fans before World Cup opener
Fans wave flags outside the hotel as the team leaves ahead of their first match, Tijuana, Mexico, 14 June 2026.
Reuters
Iran's national team received an emotional send-off from supporters in Tijuana on Sunday,14 June as they departed for Los Angeles ahead of their World Cup opener against New Zealand.
Fans lined the pavement outside the team's hotel, five deep in places, waving Iranian flags and chanting "Team Melli" as the players emerged and boarded their bus.
Many of the squad, dressed in navy polo shirts and beige trousers, smiled and waved back. Some filmed the scenes on their phones as supporters cheered them on.
One fan held a sign reading: "Iran, you will never walk alone. Mexico stands with you."
A young boy perched on someone's shoulders proudly displayed the official Panini World Cup sticker album opened to Iran's squad page.
At one point, the crowd broke into a chant in Spanish: "Iran, brother, you are Mexican now."
Mexico embraces Team Melli
The warm reception highlighted the support Iran have found in Mexico after relocating their World Cup base camp from a sports complex in Arizona late last month. The move came after the United States and Israel carried out joint strikes on Iran beginning in late February.
Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj watched on as the team left the hotel, while supporters followed the bus down the street as it pulled away.
Although Tijuana's Iranian community numbers only around 20 people, the team are expected to enjoy strong backing in Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. Tens of thousands of Iranian-Americans live in the city, often referred to as "Tehrangeles".
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World Cup clash overshadowed by politics
Iran arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday after a short flight from Tijuana, where the team had earlier received an enthusiastic send-off from supporters ahead of their World Cup opener against New Zealand.
The squad's Airbus A320 touched down at Los Angeles International Airport at 4:11 p.m. local time under clear skies. The airport is a short drive from Los Angeles Stadium, where Iran will begin their Group G campaign on Monday.
The team were expected to head straight to their hotel, where a police security presence was already in place ahead of their arrival.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei and striker Mehdi Taremi are due to speak to reporters at Los Angeles Stadium on Sunday evening.
The match will be played against an extraordinary political backdrop. It is the first World Cup since the tournament began in 1930 in which a host nation is set to welcome a country it has been at war with.
Members of the Iranian-American community are also expected to gather near the stadium to protest against what they describe as the Iranian government's ongoing human rights abuses.
Amid the political tensions, Iran's players will attempt to keep their focus on football as they prepare to face New Zealand in a World Cup meeting between the two nations for the first time.
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