Iran to lodge complaint over World Cup travel restrictions amid political tensions

Iran's national football team has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, the sport's global governing body, concerning stringent travel restrictions imposed by the United States during the ongoing 2026 World Cup. The Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI) contends that these measures, attributed to existing political tensions and security concerns between the two nations, are unfairly hindering their team's participation and preparation.

The restrictions mandate that the Iranian team can only enter the U.S. one day before a scheduled match and must depart immediately after the game concludes, a policy they argue severely impacts player recovery and training. Furthermore, requests for extended stays to facilitate better preparation were reportedly denied, and several support staff members allegedly faced visa rejections, forcing the team to relocate its base camp to Mexico. This situation has led Iran's coach to label them the "most oppressed" team in the tournament.

Despite Iran's formal complaint, U.S. authorities, including the White House FIFA Task Force, maintain that these travel conditions were communicated and agreed upon by the Iranian national team in advance. The FFIRI, however, asserts that such restrictions contradict the principle of equitable treatment for all participating nations and could detrimentally affect their athletic performance.