Iran to complain to FIFA over U.S. World Cup travel restrictions

Iran's football federation is preparing to lodge a formal complaint with FIFA, protesting the stringent travel restrictions imposed by the United States for the 2026 World Cup. The federation argues that these limitations negatively impact both the team's preparation and its ability to compete on equal footing.

The Iranian delegation has chosen to base itself in Tijuana, Mexico, traveling to the United States solely for match days. However, according to their complaint, U.S. authorities are permitting the team to enter the country only 24 hours before each game and requiring their departure on the same day the match concludes.

This situation has sparked significant frustration within the Iranian camp. Coach Amir Ghalenoei has reportedly called his team the "most wronged" in the tournament, as cited by Reuters. The federation maintains that such restrictions are inconsistent with the principle of equal treatment for all participating teams and could compromise their competitive readiness.

Originally, the plan was for the delegation to travel to host cities two days before each match to allow players to acclimatize and return one day after. This request was reportedly denied for their opening match. Iran has begun its Group 7 campaign with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand and is scheduled to face Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 27.

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