Iran kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles, bringing to a close months of mounting uncertainty over whether the squad would even be allowed to compete in the tournament.

The team's preparations were severely disrupted by visa complications, which forced them to abandon their original base camp and relocate to Mexico before travelling to the United States for their opening group fixture.

Doubts and delays

Mani Djazmi of BBC World Service spoke with Shahin Rahmani — a former football journalist and editor in Iran who has spent two decades attending World Cups as a FIFA security officer and serves as a regular consultant to the Iranian football federation — to unpack the layers of difficulty surrounding the team's participation.

Rahmani offered an insider's account of the institutional and logistical pressures Iran faced in the build-up, painting a picture of a squad that had to fight simply to reach the starting line.

Iranian-Americans in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is home to one of the largest Iranian diaspora communities anywhere in the world, and the city's atmosphere ahead of the match carried a particular charge. Actor and comedian Maz Jobrani spoke to Djazmi about how the Iranian-American community in LA was experiencing the moment — the complex emotions, the pride, and the political undertones that inevitably colour Iran's appearances on the world stage.

The story of Iran at this World Cup extends well beyond the ninety minutes on the pitch, touching on identity, belonging, and the often turbulent relationship between sport and geopolitics.

More than the score

The discussion forms part of More than the Score, the BBC World Service podcast that aims to go beyond match results at the 48-team tournament being staged across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The show explores the new sides, standout players, cultural trends, and fan communities shaping FIFA World Cup 2026 in ways that statistics alone cannot capture.