Iran will face Belgium on Sunday night in its second World Cup match, after opening the tournament with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand. But the team’s buildup has been dominated by anger over travel arrangements, with coach Amir Khalanavi saying, “We are the team that suffers the worst treatment in the tournament.”
Iran has been training in Mexico while playing its matches in the United States, a schedule that forces the squad to enter U.S. soil only one day before each game and return immediately afterward to its camp in Tijuana. According to the report, the team was even forced to abandon one of its final training sessions halfway through.
Khalanavi said he had asked for 24 hours in Los Angeles before the Belgium game, but FIFA did not honor its promise. “It is going to affect us, it is infuriating,” he said. “I am the head coach. I want to focus on the technical and tactical issues, not travel arrangements.”
There is some optimism in the Iranian camp that the restrictions will be eased before the final group match against Egypt, described as a “pride match” meant to celebrate LGBTQ rights between two Muslim countries. Khalanavi said he had been told the team would get time off before that game, adding that it had not been possible in the first matches and that he had asked the same question of 47 other coaches without receiving an answer.
