New Zealand Downplays Politics Before Iran World Cup Opener as Team Returns After 16 Years
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 15
New Zealand Downplays Politics Before Iran World Cup Opener as Team Returns After 16 Years
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 15
Summary
Darren Bazeley and captain Chris Wood said New Zealand have treated Monday's Group G opener against Iran as a normal World Cup match despite intense political attention around the fixture.
Los Angeles hosts the game a day after Washington and Tehran announced a framework to end their war, with months of conflict having sharpened focus on the matchup.
A large Iranian diaspora crowd is expected in Inglewood, though support for Iran's team remains uncertain because politics have divided parts of its fan base.
New Zealand enter their first World Cup in 16 years against a 20th-ranked Iran side unbeaten in Asian qualifying, but Wood said a run of tight tournament games has boosted belief.