US keeps Iran World Cup travel limits in place for Belgium game
Iran must return to its Tijuana base after facing Belgium in Los Angeles as US officials review restrictions ahead of the team’s Seattle match.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
The United States will keep travel limits on Iran’s World Cup squad for its match against Belgium in Los Angeles, despite Iranian objections and a planned complaint to FIFA, Reuters reported. The decision means Iran must continue making brief entries into the US from its base in Tijuana, Mexico, a setup the team says hurts recovery between matches.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the tournament, told Reuters on Saturday that US officials will keep reviewing the team’s arrangements, but no immediate change has been made. Iran are scheduled to face Belgium on Sunday and then Egypt in Seattle on Friday.
Under the current protocol, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters, Iran can enter host cities only within 24 hours of kickoff and must leave for Tijuana directly after each game. The same rules applied to Iran’s opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles last week.
That game ended at about 8pm local time, or 03:00 GMT, and the Iranian delegation left the United States within hours, according to Al Jazeera. Coach Amir Ghalenoei said the team had expected to spend the night in California to allow for a normal post-match recovery period.
Iran objects to recovery schedule
Iran’s camp has criticized the restrictions, with Ghalenoei describing his squad as “the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup,” according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The team has said it would complain to FIFA over the limits.
The travel issue also drew attention after winger Mehdi Torabi’s US entry visa expired following the first match. Team officials said Tuesday that Torabi had received a new multiple-entry visa for later games, and the US Department of State said the matter had been resolved.
Iran were due to arrive in Los Angeles on Saturday evening, roughly 24 hours before playing Belgium, according to Al Jazeera. Giuliani said the team would return after the match on what he described to Reuters as a 27-minute flight to Tijuana.
Giuliani said officials would assess how the Belgium match goes before deciding whether to adjust procedures for the Seattle fixture against Egypt. “The situation is dynamic,” he told Reuters.
US defends security checks
Giuliani defended the measures and said Iran’s move from a planned training base in Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana had reduced the team’s travel time to Los Angeles. He told Reuters the shorter route had helped all sides involved.
He also said all Iranian players and coaches had received visas, while some team officials had not. Giuliani told Reuters that the denials were tied to “derogatory information” found during screening.
The US official said the tournament’s security approach is meant to protect US citizens as well as foreign visitors. He told Reuters that authorities had found no credible threats to the World Cup at this stage, while intelligence and security agencies remained closely engaged.
The 2026 World Cup is being cohosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Iran’s base in Tijuana has kept the team near the US border while it plays group-stage matches in American cities.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.