The Iranian Football Federation has announced it will submit a formal complaint to FIFA after alleged strict travel restrictions were imposed on their national team by organizers of the 2026 World Cup in North America.
According to a federation spokesperson, their schedule had long been prepared, but they faced new limitations affecting the plans of their technical staff. Iran had hoped to fly from their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles two days before their match against Belgium this Sunday, but their request was denied.
The federation emphasized that they aimed to give players enough time to adjust to game conditions and complete the final training session. Additionally, Iran was angered by being forced to leave Los Angeles on the same night after their first match against New Zealand, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
US Policy on Iran's Travel
According to the White House FIFA Task Force, Iran was clearly informed that they would only be allowed to enter the United States one day before the match and must leave on the night after the game. The task force added that the same policy would apply to Iran's final group stage match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Despite the US administration's explanation, Iran insisted that such restrictions are unfair and affect their performance in the tournament. The complaint is expected to add tension to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which features 48 teams from around the world.
