Iran and New Zealand draw 2-2 in World Cup 2026 group stage

On the first matchday of Group G in the 2026 World Cup, Iran and New Zealand played to a 2-2 draw at a stadium in Los Angeles. Elijah Just opened the scoring for New Zealand in the 7th minute following an assist from Chris Wood. Iran equalized in the 32nd minute through Ramin Rezaeian. In the second half, Just regained the lead for New Zealand in the 55th minute, again assisted by Wood. Mohammad Mohebi secured the final result by scoring an equalizer for Iran in the 64th minute. Following this draw and a concurrent 1-1 tie between Belgium and Egypt, all four teams in Group G are currently level with one point each. The match was officiated by Cesar Arturo Ramos and attended by a crowd that reportedly included Iranian fans protesting against the government in Tehran.