Iran plans FIFA complaint over World Cup travel limits
Iran’s federation says tournament travel rules are disrupting its World Cup preparations, while a U.S. official says the limits were set in advance.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Iran’s football federation plans to complain to FIFA over travel restrictions it says are disrupting the team’s World Cup preparations in North America. The dispute matters because Iran says the rules affect match preparation for a group-stage game against Belgium in Los Angeles, according to Al Jazeera and AFP.
A spokesperson for the Iranian federation said Thursday that the team had submitted its tournament schedule early but was again facing limits imposed by organizers, AFP reported. The spokesperson said those limits were interfering with plans drawn up by Iran’s technical staff.
Iran is based in Tijuana, Mexico, during the tournament and sought permission to travel to the United States two days before its next Group G match, Al Jazeera and AFP reported. The game against Belgium is scheduled for Sunday in Los Angeles at 12 p.m. local time.
The Iranian federation said its request to enter the United States two days ahead of the match was denied, according to AFP. The spokesperson said Iran wanted the extra time so players could adjust to conditions, hold their final training session and complete preparations.
Team returned to Mexico after opening match
The complaint follows Iran’s first World Cup match, a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday in Los Angeles, Al Jazeera reported. After that game, U.S. officials said the Iranian team would have to leave the country within hours of the final whistle at its group matches in Los Angeles and Seattle, according to Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera reported that Iran’s delegation left the United States hours after the Los Angeles match ended around 8 p.m. local time and returned to its base in Mexico. The arrangement drew criticism from the Iranian side because the players did not remain at their hotel for a recovery day, according to the report.
The restrictions also came after criticism of U.S. handling of the Iranian team’s visas and stay in the country following the opening match, Al Jazeera reported. Iran’s participation in the tournament had followed months of uncertainty linked to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, according to Al Jazeera.
U.S. official says rules were disclosed
The U.S. administration has rejected Iran’s criticism, Al Jazeera reported. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, told CBS News on Monday that Iran had been told ahead of time it could enter the United States only on the day before a match.
Giuliani told CBS News the team would be allowed in on “match day minus one,” meaning the day before the game, and would be asked to leave on the evening the match ended. He said the same procedure would apply in Los Angeles and for Iran’s final Group G match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Iran’s planned complaint puts FIFA in the middle of a logistical and political dispute during the 2026 tournament, which is being co-hosted in North America. Iran has not announced the full contents of its complaint, but its federation says the travel limits have affected preparation for competitive matches, according to AFP.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.