G組的伊朗即將於16日上午迎來本屆世足首場小組賽，儘管球員們最終獲准提前一天抵達美國，但美國政府對伊朗代表團的限制措施仍未放鬆，共有多達15名隊職員無法獲得簽證。
據賽程安排，伊朗將於16日上午9時對上紐西蘭，隨後還將在21日和26日分別迎戰埃及與比利時，3場小組賽都在美國境內，但包括伊朗足協主席塔傑（Mehdi Taj）在內等多名隊職員在申請美簽時遭拒絕，美國國務院的理由是「不會允許伊朗濫用FIFA的規定，以虛假藉口讓恐怖分子進入美國」。
為了避免簽證問題，伊朗8日就抵達墨西哥邊境的蒂華納市，原本美國政府還要求伊朗在比賽當天往返於美國和墨西哥，直到FIFA介入斡旋才使局面緩和。伊朗足協9日指出，美國無端取消分配給伊朗方面的世足小組賽門票，阻止伊朗球迷到場加油，進一步激化兩國在體育賽事的對立。
儘管伊朗與美國已達成兩國戰爭「立即終結」的協議，但伊朗球員抵達洛杉磯後，當地仍加強了機場和飯店周邊的安保措施，洛杉磯是伊朗最大的僑民聚集地，許多流亡的伊朗人聚居於此，反對者在伊朗隊巴士經過的道路上舉著橫幅和旗幟抗議，要求將伊朗排除在本屆世足之外，支持者則認為不應將足球與政治牽扯在一起。
伊朗目前世界排名第20，位居亞洲第2，實力僅次於日本，今年已進行4場友誼賽，取得3勝1負的成績，對手紐西蘭則排世界第85，本屆世足增至48隊，大洋洲分配到1個名額，紐西蘭在資格賽5戰全勝順利晉級。
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