[108345] Iran's national football team returned to Tehran after its elimination from the 2026 World Cup

The Iranian national team returns home: Disagreements over the nature of the welcome

Following the elimination of Iran's national football team from the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, the players and technical staff returned to Tehran. According to reports from ورزش سه, the flight landed at Mehrabad Airport after changes to the original schedule, with the welcome ceremony held at Terminal 4.

The event was accompanied by extensive media coverage but also by controversies regarding its nature. ایران اینترنشنال ورزشی, known for its critical line toward the regime in Iran, defined the event as a "government party" and noted that the team returned via Turkey and Mexico. On the other hand, the official خبرگزاری ایرنا agency emphasized the public participation and the singing of the national anthem at the ceremony, while publishing visual documentation of fans welcoming the players.

آخرین خبر reported confusion among the media and the public following frequent changes to landing times, which led to a prolonged wait for journalists and fans at the airport. At the same time, SNN.ir|خبرگزاری دانشجو noted that "various discussions" arose among the public regarding the necessity of holding such ceremonies under the current circumstances of professional failure in the tournament.

At the end of the event, it was reported that the players expressed regret over the results. As published in آخرین خبر مازندران, the player Ramin apologized to the public: "We are ashamed that we failed to make the people happy." The national team coach, Amir Ghalenoei, added briefly: "We owe it to you, the people."