Iran’s football federation said it will formally complain to FIFA over what it calls unfair travel restrictions during the 2026 World Cup. The Iranians say the rules imposed on them do not create equal conditions with the other teams and are hurting their preparations.
Iran’s base was moved from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, before the tournament, and the team is being required to enter the United States only one day before matches and leave immediately afterward. Ahead of its next game against Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday at noon local time, Iran’s request to arrive two days early was rejected. The federation is especially angry because the early kickoff means the team must go through travel, security and border checks less than 24 hours before playing.
In Iran’s opening match against New Zealand, a 2-2 draw, the team flew from Tijuana to Los Angeles the day before the game and returned to Mexico right after the final whistle. Captain Mehdi Taremi said the apparently short trip turned into a five-hour ordeal because of security screening and immigration procedures. “Everything looks like a disaster for us,” he said, adding that the team was also not allowed to stay in Los Angeles for a recovery training session the next day.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei also criticized the treatment after the first match, saying, “Our team is perhaps the most oppressed team in the entire World Cup.” He said Iran faces logistical problems not imposed on opponents, including the absence of executives, journalists and senior officials who could not enter the United States. Federation secretary-general Hedayat Mombaini said Iran is “the only team in the World Cup that comes to the host cities only for 24 hours, and that is not fair,” adding that the restrictions affect players physically and mentally. FIFA has not responded publicly, but the tournament rules say teams are generally expected to arrive a day before matches, with two-day early arrivals allowed only in exceptional cases. Iran says its unusual circumstances justify different treatment as it prepares for a crucial Group G game against one of the group’s strongest teams.
