2026 World Cup: Iran Mocked in Washington After Being Eliminated: “Dance of Joy”
Sparks are still flying between the U.S. and Iran following Team Melli’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup, to be hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The Iranian national team never lost a match in the group stage but was eliminated due to goal difference: the disallowed goal against Egypt—called back for a disputed offside call—proved decisive.
Before and during the World Cup, Iran faced many obstacles, including the delayed issuance of visas—limited to just 24 hours on U.S. soil—and the relocation of its base camp to Tijuana, Mexico: a logistical nightmare. Coach Amir Ghalenoei stated that his team was “the most penalized” in the tournament, against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel.
On Monday, speaking to reporters, White House National Security Advisor Markwayne Mullin commented happily on Iran’s elimination: “I’m just glad they’re done and that they’re not coming back. I was so happy when we managed to revoke their visas and get them to leave U.S. soil for good that I even sang a few songs and did a little happy dance,” according to the BBC.
“There was no other national team we had to deal with as much as we did with Iran,” Mullin said. Due to strict visa restrictions, Iran was only able to enter the United States the day before its first two matches and had to leave on the same day as the games. Only for the final group stage match in Seattle were the restrictions slightly eased, allowing the team to arrive two days in advance, but they still had to return to Tijuana immediately after the match.
Coach Ghalenoei harshly criticized the organization: “The United States, co-hosts of the World Cup along with Canada and Mexico, treated us very unfairly. We were given less than half the time needed to prepare properly.” Captain Mehdi Taremi echoed his sentiments: “This tension takes away all the beauty of the World Cup. I felt it from the very first moment we arrived.”
