England will aim to become the latest of the World Cup big guns to book their place in the knockout rounds on Tuesday as Portugal attempt to kickstart their campaign after a lacklustre opening draw.

A day after Argentina and France sailed into the last 32, England face Ghana in Group L knowing that victory will see them safely into the next phase of the tournament.

England launched their campaign last week with a stylish 4-2 win over Croatia, a result that has given the Three Lions camp fresh belief as they chase a first major championship win in 60 years.

With captain Harry Kane scoring twice and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham netting, England midfielder Declan Rice believes Thomas Tuchel's squad should be a match for any team in the tournament.

Rice said Monday the challenge for England will be reproducing the swashbuckling attacking display that marked their second-half performance against Croatia.

"We know as players the level, we know what's required, and that second-half performance was probably the benchmark for us in terms of having to start the game at that level," Rice said.

"We believe that if we can do that from the opening minute, with the players that we also have to come on and finish the game, we can beat any opponent in the world.

"We want to be confident in our abilities and what we can do on the pitch."

England's German manager Tuchel meanwhile says his team are already embracing the pressure that comes with a World Cup campaign.

"There are emotions involved and you can at some point feel the tension and feel the pressure. I hope we can cope with it, accept it and turn it around," Tuchel said.

"I heard also a lot about it and I feel of course the excitement and the pressure, but I feel that we have so many winners and so many players who are experienced to cope with the pressure."

England though will be wary of the threat posed by Ghana's Antoine Semenyo, the London-born Manchester City winger who is the focal point of the Black Stars attack.

Ghana, 1-0 winners over Panama in their opener last week, can also qualify for the knockout rounds on Tuesday with a victory at Foxborough, just outside Boston.

- Portugal chase response -

Elsewhere, Portugal will attempt to draw a line under a turbulent first week of the tournament when they take on Uzbekistan in Houston.

Portugal arrived at the World Cup as one of the tournament favourites, boasting a team studded with flair players and spearheaded by veteran Cristiano Ronaldo in attack.

But Ronaldo's leaden performance in a faltering 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo renewed debate about the captain's place in the starting line-up.

Portugal coach Roberto Martinez has continued to offer staunch support of his 41-year-old captain, despite his failure to score in his last 10 matches at major tournaments.

"He's a good example for us, for all of us," Martinez said of Ronaldo.

"So he really wants to keep on improving, to contribute to the team, and he's really a role model for our team."

Martinez though stopped short of confirming Ronaldo will start against Uzbekistan when asked by reporters on Monday, saying he had not informed his players of the lineup.

Martinez said the disappointment Portugal felt after drawing with the DRC will be motivation against Uzbekistan, who are playing at a World Cup for the first time and will be heavy underdogs.

"The feeling of frustration that we all had as a team, the feeling of disappointment after the game, probably that's the best starting point to prepare for the next game," said the Spaniard.

rcw/gj

Welcome to our Exclusive Guide to all 193 active Chinese brands. 145 brands have been added since its original publication in January 2018. This guide is the result of years of research and multiple investigating trips to China. It includes car, electric vehicle, pickup, bus and truck manufacturers. For now we are keeping roughly 130 LSEV makers out, that’s low-speed electric vehicles that don’t require a drivers license and are restricted to rural towns. Nowhere else will you find such an exhaustive and up-to-date compilation of all active Chinese automotive manufacturers. Like it has been the case for this very website, it’s my need for such a list and its absence anywhere online that have triggered this endeavour. A very simple way to take stock of how much the Chinese brands list has grown over the years is this: there are probably just as many active automotive brands in China than there are in the rest of the world combined…

The largest new vehicle market in the world, China is evolving at lightning speed with a myriad of local brands currently operating. Recently, the allocation of electric car production licenses by the Chinese government has triggered the creation of dozens of new NEV manufacturers and brands. In a way, China is now where the North American and European markets were in the 1920s with over a hundred brands competing for share in booming volumes. There is no doubt the number of Chinese brands will drastically reduce over the next few decades, but for now, with sub-brands becoming brands, brands appearing and disappearing on a weekly basis, it can be a truly confusing maze. No more.

This is a Live Guide, updated as new information comes about. Since the first version of this guide was published on 5th January 2018, 144 brands have been added: 212, Aion, Aiqar, Aishang, Aistaland, AITO, AIVA, Aiways, AvatR, Baizhi, Bestune, BeyonCa, Bordrin, Byvin, Cao Cao, Chufeng, Ciimo, Ciwei, COS, Costin, CRRC, Dadao, Dali, Deepal, Derry, Dialev, Docan (previously Niutron), Doda, Domy, Dorcen, Dreame, eD1, Enoreve (previously Enovate), Epicland, EV, Everus, Ezoom, Fang Cheng Bao, Farizon, Fengon, Firefly, Forthing, Fukang, Geometry, Green Wheel, Grove, Gyon, Hanergy, Hedmos, Hengchi (previously Evergrande), Hengrun, HiPhi, Homan (previously Folor), Huakai, Huashen, Huatong, Huazi, Hunkt, Hycan, IAT, iCar, IM, Jaecoo, Jenhoo, Jetour, Jiefang, Jiulong, Jiyue, JLM, Juneyao, KYC, Lark, Leapmotor, Lepas, LI, Lingbox, Linghui, Lingxi, Link Tour, Linyu, Lite, Livan, Long River, Luxeed, Maextro, Maple, Matrix Motors, Mengshi, Modern, Nammi, Neta, Omoda, Onvo, ORA, Pao, Pocco, Polestones, Qingling, Qingxing, Qiyuan, QYEV, Radar, Raoten, Reach, Red Star, Reech (previously LvChi), Rising Auto (previously R), Rox, Saloon, Sany, Sehol (previously SOL), Senyuan, Seres (previously SF Motors), Shangjie, Shifeng, Sinogold, SiTech, SKIO, Skywell, Skyworth, Sokon, Songsan, Stelato, STR, Suda, Sunike, TANK, T-King, VGV, Voyah, WAW, Weiao, Wujie, Xiaohu, Xiaomi, Xiao Pao Che, Yangwang, YGM, Yinlong, Yipai, Youngman, Yuancheng, Yuanhang, Zedriv, Zeekr, Zoomlion and Zuojun.

80 ceased activity: Baizhi, Bison, Bisu, Bordrin, Brilliance, Byton, Byvin, Changhe, Ciimo, Ciwei, CRRC, Dali, Dearcc, Dialev, Doda, Domy, Dorcen, Enranger, Everus, Foday, Gonow, Green Wheel, Hafei, Hanergy, Hanteng, Hawtai, Heibao, Hengchi, Hengtong, Horki, Huasong, Hunkt, Hybrid Kinetic, Hyosow, Iconic, Jiangnan, Jiulong, JMCGL, Jonway, Kandi, Kawei, Keyton, Landwind, Leahead, Leopaard, LeSee, Letin, Lifan, Linyu, Lite, Maple, Min’An, Neta, Qiantu, Qingling, Qoros, QYEV, Ranz, Red Star, Reech, Rox, Saloon, Senyuan, Shuchi, Singulato, SiTech, SKIO, Suda, Sunike, Traum, Xinkai, Weiwang, Weltmeister (WM), Yema, Youxia, Yu Lu, Zedriv, Zinoro, Zotye and Zuojun.

If you have information that would impact this Guide please make sure to share it in the comments below.

Please contact us here for a thorough analysis of the Chinese new car market, or if you want to advertise on this page.

212

BAW launched the 212 brand (二一二越野车, literally 212 off-road vehicle) in June 2024. This makes the next chapter for the original and legendary 60 year-old BJ212 off roader. The T01 is the brand’s first outing, offering a modernised version of the icon. It retains classic off-road elements like a boxy design, round taillights, and robust off-road capabilities. 212 retail sales in 2025 amount to 12,070 (+154.9%). The official website is here.

Aion

Aion (埃安) is a marque by GAC Motors. Originally launched as an EV sub-brand of GAC New Energy in 2018, it was upgraded to a standalone brand under GAC Group in November 2020. As of August 2023, Aion’s lineup is composed of the S sedan, the LX station wagon, V crossover, Y crossover and Hyper GT sedan. In September 2022, the brand introduced a new logo as well as a new hypercar, the Hyper SSR. It is reportedly capable of accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 1.9 seconds. As well as the GT, the Hyper SSR is part of Aion’s new line of high performing models called Hyper (昊铂). Aion also announced a cooperation with China National Space Administration to establish the Hyper Scientific Research Laboratory, focusing on R&D in aerodynamics, innovative materials and artificial intelligence. Aion retail sales are down -12.2% in 2025 to 297,064. The official website is here.

Aiqar

The Aiqar marque is an export brand by Chery destined to sell rebadged New Energy Vehicles. It is present in Central Asia (Armenia, Georgia, Uzbekistan), South East Asia (Cambodia), the Middle East and the Caribbean (Curaçao). As of 2026, its range is composed of three models: the EQ1 (a rebadged Chery eQ1), EQ3 (a rebadged iCar 03) and the EQ7 (a rebadged Chery eQ7). The Georgian website is here.

Aishang

Aishang (埃尚) is a brand by Wuling launched in September 2025. The brand was created to compete in the affordable new-energy passenger car market, focusing initially on A00-segment micro electric cars, with plans to expand into small and compact car segments over the next few years. The first model under the Aishang brand is the A100C, an A00-class pure electric city car designed for urban commuting. It features a compact 3-door, 4-seat layout, a small electric motor and a 17.65 kWh battery giving roughly 220 km CLTC range, and is priced from 39,800 to 52,800 yuan. While fronting similar vehicles such as the Changan Lumin, it also competes with Wuling’s own Hongguang Mini EV… Aishang retail sales in 2025 amount to 554.

Aistaland

Aistaland, Qijing (启境) in Mandarin, is yet another collaboration between Huawei and a car manufacturer, this time GAC. However,  Aistaland isn’t part of HIMA (Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance). It was launched in September 2025 and its name derives from the expression “AI Start New Land.” Its first vehicle, publicly revealed at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, is the GT7 shooting brake, a clone of the Porsche Panamera. As is the case with all its other collaborations, Huawei provides the intelligent vehicle platform while GAC is in charge of the manufacturing integration. The GT7 features a 896-line LiDAR from Huawei.

AITO

AITO (in Mandarin Aotu 傲图 or Wenjie 问界), translated as “Adding Intelligence to Auto”, is a high-end EV brand launched in 2021 by Huawei and Seres (Sokon). The brand’s first model, the M5, was revealed on 2 December 2021. It is a range extender, meaning the car is a PHEV where the petrol engine’s only function is to charge the battery. Orders started on 23 December 2021 and reached 6,000 only five days later. The M5 comes with its own fragrance system, is advertised as having the fastest on-board charging in the industry, 66W wired fast charging, 40W wireless fast charging, a total of five 1A4C charging ports. All AITO models are sold in Huawei’s stores. The cooperation between Sokon and Huawei started when Huawei started selling the Seres SF5 in its stores, now they are coming up with a new brand, AITO. The M5 is actually based on the Seres SF5. In this Huawei-Sokon partnership, Sokon is responsible for the car life cycle: R&D, delivery and after sales. Huawei is responsible for sales and smart features, in other words the nervous system of the car. The M7 SUV launched in July 2022. 2025 retail sales are up 9.9% to 423,436 units. The AITO website is here.

The full Chinese Brands Guide is below.

Mechrevo has launched a new compact desktop PC, the WuJie S500e, in China. The computer is built around Intel’s Core i5-13420H processor and carries a standard retail price of 3,699 yuan (about $546). For its initial release on June 25, the company is offering a discounted launch price of 3,499 yuan ($516).

Mechrevo WuJie S500e Specifications

The WuJie S500e is housed in a 7-liter chassis made from SGCC steel. It is designed to take up minimal space on a desk and can be placed in either a vertical or horizontal orientation depending on your setup. The lower front panel features a diamond-pattern grille to allow for airflow, and the case uses a tool-free mechanism so users can open it easily for basic maintenance or hardware upgrades.

Inside, the system runs on the Intel Core i5-13420H, which is a mobile processor typically found in laptops. It features 8 cores and 12 threads, 12MB of cache, and a maximum clock speed of 4.6GHz. Because it relies on Intel’s integrated UHD Graphics, this computer is intended for standard office tasks, web browsing, and media playback rather than gaming or heavy video rendering. The processor is paired with 16GB of dual-channel memory and a 512GB solid-state drive for storage.

To cool the laptop-grade processor inside a desktop case, Mechrevo included a heatsink with three copper heat pipes. The cooling system generates about 38 decibels of noise during regular use and reaches 40 decibels when the system is under full load.

For connectivity, the computer has a total of eight USB ports. The front panel includes two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two USB-A 2.0 ports, and standard 3.5mm audio jacks. On the back, there are two more USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two additional USB-A 2.0 ports, an RJ45 Ethernet jack, an HDMI port, and a DisplayPort. The inclusion of the two display outputs allows users to connect two monitors at once.

The PC includes a built-in 120W power supply, which means there is no external power brick to manage. The system also supports Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connections, and it ships with Windows 11 pre-installed.

In related news, Lenovo has recently unveiled a new gaming desktop configurable with Intel or AMD processors and Nvidia RTX 50-series graphics, while Asus has introduced the ExpertCenter P200 AiO PC powered by Ryzen processors.

For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.

Stay ahead in tech! Join our Telegram community and sign up for our daily newsletter of top stories!

(JD)

The post Mechrevo launches new compact desktop with Intel Core i5-13420H, 16GB RAM & 512GB SSD appeared first on Gizmochina.

Fans at the 2026 World Cup in North America had been warned there was a possibility that games could be disrupted by bad weather. 

On Monday, that likelihood came true with a vengeance as lightning flashed across the sky above Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and torrential rain soaked spectators at France's game against Iraq, forcing play to be halted for more than two hours.

It was the first time that a match at the tournament has had to be paused due to the weather.

Fans at the stadium tried to make the best of the situation, although they were surprised by the strictness of the protocol.

After Canadian referee Drew Fischer sent the 22 players back to the dressing rooms for half-time, with France leading 1-0 thanks to a Kylian Mbappe goal, an urgent message flashed up on the scoreboards: "Please exit the open seating area and seek shelter in covered areas of the stadium."

The approximately 70,000 spectators, many already in ponchos and rain coats, filed out and, in little more than 15 minutes, the concourses of "the Linc" resembled a huge train station on a holiday travel day.

Antoine Chouraqui, a Frenchman who has lived in the United States for a decade, took the development in stride.

"There are storms in the summer here. I've never had to evacuate a stadium, but I play tennis and often we're in the middle of a match when the alarm goes off warning that lightning is coming, and we have to leave the court," he told AFP.

A fan from Paris though was baffled by the order to leave the stands.

"We don't really know what to do; we haven't been given many instructions," said the man, who declined to give his name, as he stood with his two sons.

"I've never seen that in 40 years of football. In France we don't stop a match for rain."

The rain poured and poured, soaking any fans who lingered in the seats.

"We brought the ponchos, we were ready," said Steven Jouan, 32, who had come to Philadelphia from South Carolina with his partner for the game to support France.

"We have been to different sporting events before so we knew that delays happen. Most of the other games get cancelled but a World Cup game, you just gotta stick it out."

- 'With $400 tickets, I'm staying' -

Spectators used the interruption to try to dry off, chat, and shop, whether it was food, drinks, jerseys, scarves, or whatever other merchandise they could find.

There was no chance of fans leaving though -- with the cost of tickets to this World Cup, they wanted to get their money's worth.

"I've already left an interrupted MLS match before," said Axel Francon, who has lived in Colorado for four years. "But here, at $400 a ticket, I'm staying." 

Pierre Prondeau and Morgane Granger stayed too, "after travelling 6,000 kilometers" to attend France's first two World Cup matches. 

"We're making the best of a bad situation, but the match better not be postponed because we won't be able to change our return tickets," Prondeau said.

Eventually the lightning stopped flashing and an announcement was made that the game would restart at 8:00 pm local time (0000 GMT Tuesday). France went on to win 3-0. 

The Club World Cup in the United States last year, which served as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, saw six matches delayed because of extreme weather conditions, including eventual winners Chelsea's game against Benfica in the round of 16 in Charlotte, which was halted for four and a half hours.

Scientists say this is a phenomenon that could become increasingly common as greenhouse gases continue to warm the planet.

lh-as/gj/jgc

Lenovo has officially introduced the new ThinkPad P16s (2026), a professional workstation laptop designed for engineers, creators, and business users. The laptop is now listed on JD.com in China, with several configurations already available for purchase. The first sale is scheduled to begin tomorrow.

Powerful Intel Core Ultra Processors

The currently available models are powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 356H processor. Lenovo has also announced a higher-end version featuring the more powerful Core Ultra 9 386H processor, although this model has not yet been listed for sale. The new processors are designed to deliver strong performance for demanding professional workloads.

High-Quality OLED Display

The ThinkPad P16s (2026) comes with a 16-inch OLED display that offers a resolution of 2880 × 1800 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. This combination provides sharp visuals, vibrant colors, and smoother motion. Lenovo is also offering an optional touchscreen version for users who prefer touch input.

RTX Pro Graphics for Professional Workloads

Depending on the configuration, buyers can choose between integrated graphics or dedicated NVIDIA professional GPUs. Available options include the RTX Pro 500 and RTX Pro 1000 graphics cards. Lenovo has also confirmed a future variant equipped with the more powerful RTX Pro 2000 GPU, targeting users with heavier graphics and computing requirements.

Memory, Battery, and Connectivity

All currently available models come with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD, providing plenty of memory and fast storage. The laptop is equipped with a large 90Wh battery for extended usage.

For connectivity, users get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.0, two USB-A ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an RJ45 Ethernet port, making it suitable for both office and professional environments.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing starts at 15,799 yuan for the Ultra 7 touchscreen model, while RTX Pro 500 and RTX Pro 1000 variants are priced at 19,999 yuan and 22,999 yuan, respectively. The Ultra 9 386H and RTX Pro 2000 version is expected to arrive at a later date.

Read More:

• ASUS Just Launched a Mouse Pad Built by Pro Esports Players
• Lenovo Aurora GH15 Headphone: RGB Lighting, Detachable Mic, and 1000mAh Battery
• GPT-5.6 Rumors Intensify as OpenAI Reportedly Prepares Major AI Upgrade

(via)

The post Lenovo Launches ThinkPad P16s (2026) Workstation Laptop appeared first on Gizmochina.

Lamine Yamal made a goalscoring return for Spain as the European champions got their World Cup campaign back on track with a 4-0 drubbing of Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Yamal, 18, opened the scoring after just 10 minutes of the Group H game in Atlanta to put La Roja on course for a comfortable victory against an outclassed Saudi team.

Spain had been determined to bounce back after being held to a shock 0-0 draw by lowly Cape Verde in their opening game last week, when their much-vaunted attack drew a blank.

But with teenaged starlet Yamal making his first start in two months since recovering from a hamstring problem, Spain launched an early onslaught that left the Saudis reeling.

Yamal ghosted in at the back post to tuck away Mikel Oyarzabal's low cross before Oyarzabal scored twice in three minutes to leave Spain 3-0 up after just 24 minutes.

Spain bagged their fourth goal on 49 minutes, when Marc Cucurella's shot was saved by Saudi goalkeeper Mohammed al-Owais only to bounce off defender Hassan al-Tambakti into the net.

Spain coach Luis De la Fuente said his squad had been fuelled by criticism of their opening performance.

"When someone questions your work, it is only human that anyone with courage and pride reacts to prove people wrong," said De la Fuente.

The win leaves Spain on top of Group H with four points after two matches.

Cape Verde will attempt to join the Spaniards on four points later Sunday when they face Uruguay in Miami, with coach Pedro Leitao Brito, known as "Bubista", vowing his team will play "without fear".

"We didn't come just to take part. We want to play all the matches and to be able to show that we have the level to take on the best teams in the world," he added.

"Our aim is to play all the games with courage, in an organised way but also without fear."

- Belgium frustrated by Iran -

In Los Angeles, meanwhile, Belgium are still waiting for their first win after being held to a 0-0 draw by Iran in Group G.

The Red Devils, who also drew with Egypt in their opening game, finished the game with 10 men and struggled to break down a resolute Iranian side despite dominating possession.

For the second Iran game running, protesters from Los Angeles' large Persian exile community gathered at the stadium to chant against the country's hardline regime.

Inside the stadium, Iran's anthem again drew a chorus of boos and whistles -- a reception at odds with the response to the players themselves, who were loudly cheered.

Iran's Mehdi Taremi had the ball in the net from a clever first-half free-kick that was ruled out by VAR, while Belgium's Nathan Ngoy was sent off after the break for hauling down the striker following a mis-hit backpass.

The result means all three games so far in Group G have ended in draws.

With just two points from two games, Belgium will be targeting a big win against the World Cup's lowest-ranked team, New Zealand, in their final group game in Vancouver on Friday.

- Germany advance -

On Saturday, Germany booked their place in the knockout rounds with a dramatic injury-time winner in a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast. 

It is the first time since 2014 that Germany have made it out of the group stage.

Germany's victory was made even sweeter later on Saturday as Curacao -- the smallest country by population ever to qualify for the World Cup with just 160,000 inhabitants -- dug deep to secure a shock 0-0 draw with Ecuador in Kansas City that ensured the Germans will win Group E with a game to spare.

In Houston, the Netherlands stayed firmly on course for qualification with a 5-1 demolition of Sweden in Group F.

Japan are level on four points with the Dutch after cruising to a comfortable 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico, in Saturday's late match -- the 1,000th game in World Cup history. 

bur/rcw/jc

The United States marched into the last 32 of the World Cup on Friday with a 2-0 victory over Australia as Brazil rediscovered their scoring touch to eliminate Haiti.

A day after Mexico sealed their place in the knockout rounds, the USA emulated their fellow World Cup co-hosts with a clinical Group D win over Australia in Seattle.

A Cameron Burgess own goal in the 11th minute and a headed effort from Alex Freeman two minutes before half-time sealed a comfortable win for Mauricio Pochettino's side, who have advanced to the second phase of the tournament with a game to spare.

After an unconvincing build-up to the World Cup, the Americans have made a dream start to the tournament with Friday's victory following a stylish 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in their opening game last week.

The co-hosts could even clinch first place in Group D later on Friday if Turkey lose or draw against Paraguay in the late match.

"It was a fantastic game again, very good first half," Pochettino said. "I think we dominated the game against a very tough team.

"When the draw happened in December I thought it was going to be a really difficult, a really tough game."

Australia coach Tony Popovic blamed "lethargy" for his team's loss.

"We were slow to every ball, and we couldn't really wrestle back any momentum, which made it difficult," Popovic said.

"We conceded a couple of really soft goals but we just looked flat and lethargic in the first half."

- Brazil romp, Scotland stumble -

In other games on Friday, Brazil took control of their destiny in Group C with a 3-0 victory over Haiti that ended the Caribbean nation's chances of reaching the last 32.

Two goals from Manchester United striker Matheus Cunha and a Vinicius Junior strike sealed a comfortable win for the Brazilians in a one-sided game at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field.

The result ensured Haiti will finish bottom of Group C and are the first team to be eliminated from contention for a place in the knockout rounds.

Brazil's victory though was marred by an apparent injury to star forward Raphinha, who left the game in the 40th minute after an innocuous-looking tussle with Haiti defender Martin Experience.

Brazil are now level on four points with Morocco in Group C, but lead the North Africans on goal difference.

Morocco secured their first win of the tournament on Friday with a 1-0 defeat of Scotland at Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Ismael Saibari scored the games's only goal, lashing home a thunderous angled strike in the second minute to leave the Scots reeling.

Morocco will face Haiti in their final Group C game on June 24, while Brazil take on the Scots in Miami.

"Tonight we showed we can compete with the teams in the top 10. Brazil will be a different game, they play with less structure but they have quality that can hurt you at any point," Scotland's John McGinn said.

"We will need to be at our best. We know what we need to do to try to get through to the next round."

- Iranian complaints -

Off the field, a leading Iranian football official said on Friday that Iran's treatment at the World Cup was a "dark point" in the history of the competition.

Hedayat Mombeyni, the secretary general of the Iranian football federation, was speaking to reporters the day after his organization said it would lodge a complaint with FIFA, claiming the team was being subjected to travel restrictions that were jeopardizing its performance.

Iran wanted to fly from their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles two days before their next match, against Belgium on Sunday.

But the Iranian federation said its request was turned down.

The US administration has pushed back against the Iranian demands.

rcw/gj