Iran World Cup travel restrictions to be eased, says coach

Iran's World Cup coach Amir Ghalenoei announced that the team has been informed US travel restrictions will be eased for their final group game. However, he strongly criticized the treatment the squad has received so far, asserting it has damaged their on-field performance.

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They said in Seattle, you can do what you want, you can act the way you want to, and you can come earlier.

The Iranian squad arrived at the World Cup amid ongoing conflict with co-hosts the United States. Based in Mexico, they have played all their matches within the US, necessitating frequent cross-border travel. US authorities had limited the team's stay in the country to a few hours after each game, with restrictions often changing at the last minute.

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But what I want, my problem is, why didn't they let us come earlier for the first two games as well?

Following their match against Belgium in Los Angeles, Iran's final group game is scheduled for Seattle against Egypt. Ghalenoei expressed that while his team will have more flexibility for this final match, it would have been "justice" to receive the same treatment for their first two games. He stated, "They said in Seattle, you can do what you want, you can act the way you want to, and you can come earlier."

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I just know for the last game, yes, they've allowed us to decide, to make our own decisions with regards to planning the travel.

However, Ghalenoei questioned the delay, asking, "But what I want, my problem is, why didn't they let us come earlier for the first two games as well?" He noted that for the initial matches, travel arrangements and timing were dictated by others. The coach also revealed that the team arrived in the US on Saturday, less than 24 hours before their game against Belgium, despite earlier indications they might travel sooner. This disruption, he explained, affects the team mentally and limits his focus on technical aspects, as they could only conduct half their usual pre-game training session.

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But unfortunately, for the first two games, others made these travel arrangements for us, and the timing for us.