WANA (Jun 19) – The Iranian Football Federation is preparing to submit an official complaint to FIFA ahead of the national team’s second World Cup match, citing travel restrictions imposed by the United States that it says have disrupted the team’s preparations for the tournament.

 

According to international media reports, including AFP, Iran’s national team, which has established its training base in Tijuana, Mexico, has faced limitations on entering the United States for its group-stage match against Belgium in Los Angeles. The team had requested permission to arrive in the host city two days before the match in order to acclimatize, complete final training sessions, and optimize its preparation, but the request was denied.

 

A spokesperson for the Iranian Football Federation criticized the decision, stating that the team’s preparation schedule had been submitted to tournament organizers well in advance. However, the restrictions have prevented the coaching staff from implementing their plans as intended. The spokesperson emphasized that, with the match scheduled for 12:00 p.m. local time, arriving two days early was a sporting necessity and confirmed that Iran would pursue the matter through official channels by filing a complaint with FIFA.

 

This is not the first time Iran has raised concerns during the tournament. Following a 2–2 draw against New Zealand in its opening match, the team was required to leave Los Angeles immediately after the game and return to its base in Mexico. Iranian officials argue that such arrangements have complicated both the players’ recovery process and the team’s overall preparation.

Iran Opens 2026 World Cup Campaign with Draw Against New Zealand. Social media / WANA News Agency

Iran Opens 2026 World Cup Campaign with Draw Against New Zealand. Social media / WANA News Agency

According to the coaching staff’s plans, the national team sought to arrive in host cities two days before each match and return to its base one day after each game. However, this request was rejected not only for the opening match but also for the upcoming clash against Belgium. As a result, the team will once again be permitted to enter the United States only one day before kickoff.

 

The Iranian Football Federation maintains that these restrictions are inconsistent with the principle of providing equal conditions for all participating teams and could have a direct impact on competitive preparation. Consequently, the federation has decided to formally raise its concerns with FIFA.

 

U.S. officials, however, insist that these regulations were communicated to the Iranian federation well in advance. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force, stated that Iran had been informed from the outset that it would only be allowed to enter the United States one day before each match and would be required to leave the country on the same night after the final whistle. He added that the same rules would apply to Iran’s upcoming match against Egypt in Seattle.

 

Reports have also highlighted additional challenges faced by the Iranian delegation. The team initially planned to establish its training camp in Tucson, Arizona, but was forced to relocate to Tijuana, near the U.S.-Mexico border, before the tournament began. In addition, visas were reportedly not issued for several members of the Iranian delegation, a situation that Iranian officials say has added off-field complications to the team’s sporting challenges.

 

Iran’s complaint regarding the travel restrictions has attracted significant international attention and has emerged as one of the major off-field stories of the tournament, with several leading global media outlets covering the dispute and its implications for the World Cup.