The United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, openly celebrated Iran’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, telling reporters he performed a “happy dance” when the team’s visas were revoked and they were required to leave American soil. Speaking at a World Cup security briefing in Washington on Monday, Mullin said no other team had caused his department as much difficulty, and he expressed relief that “they’re done, and they’re not coming back.” The remarks came hours after Iran, based in Tijuana, Mexico, throughout the group stage, narrowly missed a place in the round of 32, finishing as the ninth-best third-place side following a late goal in another match.

Viewed from Washington, the restrictions imposed on the Iranian delegation were a necessary security measure amid an ongoing military and political conflict between the two countries. US officials required the team to relocate its planned training camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, permitted entry into the United States only 24 hours before each fixture, and mandated immediate departure after the final whistle. Mullin defended the arrangements, arguing that the proximity of Tijuana to Iran’s first two matches in Los Angeles and the pre-match access to American facilities meant the team had no grounds for complaint. He also stated that “almost half” of the individuals Iran sought to accredit for the tournament had direct links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two proposed media members tied to the IRGC’s intelligence wing and one person subject to an international arrest warrant. The Iranian football federation dismissed the allegation as “completely unsupported by any evidence.”

Iranian officials, coaches, and players consistently described the treatment as discriminatory and detrimental to their competitive preparations. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his squad was treated “very unfairly” and called on FIFA to prevent future hosts from behaving similarly, while forward Mehdi Taremi acknowledged the warmth of the people of Tijuana but insisted that, in a professional tournament, such logistical constraints were “not right.” After their final two matches, the team left notes in the locker rooms in Inglewood and Seattle, thanking the host cities and invoking themes of honour, dignity, and fair play. The notes, widely circulated in Iranian and international media, framed the team’s conduct as a moral counterpoint to the restrictions they faced.

The episode unfolded against a backdrop of acute bilateral tension. Military strikes by the US and Israel on Iran in February had cast a shadow over the tournament, though peace efforts continued, with the two governments signing a memorandum of understanding earlier in June. Analysts in European capitals note that the World Cup, often a stage for soft-power projection, instead became a venue for the two adversaries to air grievances. The Iranian team is scheduled to fly from Tijuana to Antalya and then on to Tehran, ending its involvement in the competition. The dossier now shifts to the diplomatic arena, where the implementation of the nascent US-Iran understanding will test whether the animosity displayed during the tournament can be contained.