The Iranian Football Federation has announced plans to file an official complaint with FIFA, alleging that its national team is facing unfair travel restrictions during the ongoing FIFA World Cup in North America.
The federation disclosed on Thursday that tournament organizers rejected a request allowing the Iranian team to travel from its training base in Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles two days before its upcoming group-stage match against Belgium.
Iran is scheduled to face Belgium on Sunday in Los Angeles, with kickoff set for 12:00 pm local time (1900 GMT).
According to a spokesperson for the Iranian Football Federation, the team had submitted its preparation schedule well in advance and requested permission to arrive in Los Angeles earlier to facilitate proper acclimatization and final preparations.
The federation argued that the request was based on technical and sporting considerations rather than administrative convenience.
“Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran’s national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organizers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff’s plans,” the spokesperson said.
The official explained that the federation wanted the players to have sufficient time to adjust to local conditions, conduct training sessions, and complete tactical preparations ahead of the crucial fixture.
“Given that the game will be played at 12:00 pm local time in Los Angeles, the Football Federation of Iran requested that the team be allowed to travel to Los Angeles two days before the match,” the spokesperson added.
The federation maintained that the objective was to allow players “to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalize preparations.”
However, the request was reportedly denied by tournament authorities.
“Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied,” the spokesperson stated.
As a result, Iran intends to formally raise the matter with FIFA through the appropriate channels.
“The federation will formally express its dissatisfaction and lodge an official complaint with FIFA through the appropriate channels,” he said.
The latest dispute follows earlier complaints from the Iranian delegation regarding travel arrangements after the team’s opening World Cup match.
Iran was reportedly required to leave Los Angeles on the same night following its 2-2 draw against New Zealand in its first group-stage encounter.
The United States government has, however, defended the arrangements and insisted that Iran was informed of the travel procedures before the tournament began.
Speaking earlier this week, Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House FIFA Task Force, stated that the Iranian team had been advised that it would only be permitted to enter the United States one day before each scheduled match.
“The team will be allowed to come in, match day minus one, so the day before the match,” Giuliani told CBS News.
“They’ll be asked to leave the day that the match wraps up, so the evening of the match. And they’ll be able to do that again in Los Angeles.”
Giuliani also indicated that similar arrangements would apply to Iran’s final group-stage match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Iran’s preparations for the World Cup have been complicated by broader geopolitical developments in the Middle East.
The team originally planned to establish its training base in Tucson, Arizona, but altered those arrangements shortly before the tournament began, relocating instead to Tijuana, a Mexican city located near the US border.
The federation has also claimed that up to 15 members of its delegation were denied visas to enter the United States, further complicating logistical and operational planning during the tournament.
The dispute adds another layer of tension to Iran’s World Cup campaign as the team seeks to navigate both sporting challenges and administrative hurdles while competing on football’s biggest stage.
