The Iran national football team arrived in Los Angeles with extraordinary security measures ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The team crossed into the U.S. on Sunday and is set to play its opening match against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium. Heavy security measures have been implemented around the team's hotel, with barricades erected to prevent any potential protests. The team is staying at the Westdrift Manhattan Beach hotel, located about six miles from the stadium. On match day, protesters gathered at SoFi Stadium, displaying images of athletes who have been executed. This highlights the intense political tensions surrounding Team Melli's participation in the tournament. Iran was forced to relocate its training camp from Tucson to Tijuana due to visa issues. The team is only entering the U.S. for matches, and some delegation members are still awaiting visas. Additionally, when the squad landed in Tijuana, players wore pins bearing the number 168 in memory of victims of a missile strike in Iran.