By Rory Carroll
LOS ANGELES, June 13 (Reuters) - Iran open their World Cup Group G campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday in a match shaped as much by events off the pitch as by the ambitions of two teams seeking a long-awaited breakthrough.
The fixture will be played against the backdrop of the U.S. war with Iran and in a region home to the largest Iranian community outside the country, adding a charged atmosphere to a contest between two nations who have never met at the World Cup.
Iran's participation had appeared uncertain in the buildup to the tournament because of the conflict. They also moved their base camp from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, leaving them to travel internationally for each of their three group-stage matches in the United States.
Reports of progress in negotiations aimed at ending the fighting have done little to ease tensions around the team, with Iranian soccer officials criticising FIFA after 15 members of Iran's football federation were denied visas to travel for the tournament.
The mood in Los Angeles was evident during Friday's opening ceremony at Los Angeles Stadium, when boos could be heard as the Iranian flag was carried onto the field. Iran will learn on Monday what sort of reception awaits them when they take to the pitch.
TWO TEAMS CHASING HISTORY
For Iran and New Zealand, the match also represents a chance to change familiar World Cup narratives.
Iran are appearing at a fourth successive World Cup and seventh overall but have never reached the knockout stage. New Zealand, back at the finals for the first time since 2010 and making only their third appearance, are still seeking a first World Cup win.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei, the first Iran-born manager to lead the national team at a World Cup since Jalal Talebi in 1998, guided his side through Asian qualifying after they secured their place with a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan in Tehran on March 25, 2025.
New Zealand booked their spot a day earlier with a 3-0 victory over New Caledonia in the Oceania qualifying final. Darren Bazeley's side will hope to draw on memories of 2010, when they were eliminated in the group stage but left South Africa unbeaten after draws with Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay.
Monday's game will be the first World Cup meeting between the teams and the first time either has faced opposition from the other's confederation at the tournament.
Iran arrive with the stronger recent tournament record. They have won a group-stage match at each of the last two World Cups, beating Morocco 1-0 in 2018 — when they earned a national-best four points in a group featuring Spain and Portugal — and defeating Wales 2-0 in Qatar in 2022 with two stoppage-time goals.
Yet progress to the knockout phase has remained elusive.
New Zealand's hopes are likely to rest heavily on captain Chris Wood, the country's all-time leading scorer, who underlined his importance during qualifying with successive hat-tricks against Samoa and Fiji.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los AngelesEditing by Christian Radnedge)
