A spokesman for the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran said on June 19 that the national team will file a complaint with FIFA, alleging they are being subjected to travel restrictions during the 2026 World Cup in North America.
According to AFP, the spokesman stated: “Despite having submitted our preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, the national team of Iran is once again facing restrictions from the organizers, affecting the implementation of the technical staff’s plans.”
Iran wanted to fly from their base in Tijuana, Mexico, to the United States two days before their next group-stage match against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday (June 22). However, the Iranian Football Federation said this request was rejected.
“Because the match is at 12:00 noon local time in Los Angeles, the Football Federation of Iran requested the team be allowed to travel to Los Angeles two days early. The goal is for the players to have enough time to adapt to the conditions, complete the final training session, and be fully prepared. Despite providing technical reasons, the request was denied,” the spokesman said.
After their first match on Monday (June 16), where Iran drew 2-2 with New Zealand in a politically charged encounter, U.S. officials told the Iranian team they would have to leave the country just hours after the conclusion of their group-stage games in Los Angeles and Seattle.
The response from the 2026 World Cup hosts came after criticism over visa and stay duration for the Iranian squad in the U.S. following their first match. The Iranian delegation left the U.S. a few hours after the match ended around 8:00 p.m. local time (03:00 GMT) and returned to their base in Mexico, leaving the team with no time to rest at a hotel.
The U.S. administration has rejected the allegations from Iran. Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said on Monday that Iran had been previously informed they would only be allowed into the U.S. one day before their match.
“The team will be allowed entry, except one day before the match, meaning the day before the game. They will be required to leave on the day the match ends, meaning the evening of the game. And they will be able to do the same again in Los Angeles,” Giuliani told CBS News.
He also said the same procedure would apply to Iran’s final group-stage match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Iran, in Group G, began their North American campaign after months of uncertainty over their World Cup participation against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.
