Iran to File FIFA Complaint Over World Cup Travel
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- Iran's soccer federation said it will file a FIFA complaint after the US denied its request to travel to Los Angeles two days before Sunday's World Cup match against Belgium, with restrictions still in place despite an interim US-Iran ceasefire.
- Team Melli's 127-mile charter flight from Tijuana International Airport to LAX took five hours including security and immigration checks, per captain Mehdi Taremi, after Iran's base camp was relocated from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico.
- Coach Amir Ghalenoei called Iran "the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup," while secretary-general Hedayat Mombeini said the team is the only one limited to 24 hours in host cities, creating "negative effects on our physical and mental things on our players."
- White House FIFA task force head Andrew Giuliani said the restrictions stem from previously mandated wartime rules, but FIFA's 2026 World Cup regulations (Article 18.3) already require teams to travel to match venues one day before and return immediately after.
- Some team officials have been unable to secure US visas, and player Mehdi Torabi had to visit the US consulate in Tijuana to obtain a new visa after Iran's opening 2-2 draw against New Zealand on Monday.
- Iran will play its final group stage game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26, with a noon Pacific kickoff scheduled for Sunday's match against Belgium.
Why it matters: Iran's complaint places FIFA in the position of adjudicating between US wartime travel rules and its own tournament equity standards — if the restrictions remain, Team Melli becomes the only squad operating under dual logistical constraints that visibly affect player recovery and preparation, giving the federation a concrete grievance to escalate ahead of its June 26 match against Egypt in Seattle.
