Iran Coach Ghalenoei Welcomes Eased Travel Rules Ahead of Egypt Clash
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei revealed that travel restrictions placed on his squad during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers will be eased before their final Group G match against Egypt.
He said the previous arrangement had taken a toll on the players, blaming extensive travel for their difficulties, especially in the earlier match against New Zealand.
Speaking at a press conference, Ghalenoei noted that the team would finally have more control over their preparations for the decisive encounter with Egypt.
“They said in Seattle, you can do what you want, you can act the way you want to, and you can come earlier,” he said, without naming the source.
“I just know for the last game, yes, they’ve allowed us to decide, to make our own decisions regarding travel planning,” he added.
“But for the first two games, others made these travel arrangements for us, and the timing. I think, because we have been flying too much, commuting, we’ve been tired as a result of this long commute.”
The coach also disclosed that the team arrived in the United States on Saturday, less than 24 hours before kickoff, despite initially being told they could travel a day earlier.
According to Ghalenoei, FIFA officials informed the delegation on Friday afternoon that an earlier trip might be possible, only for those plans to fall through later that day.
“We waited until 7:00 p.m., nothing happened, and they said, ‘Sorry, we weren’t able to do that,’” he recalled.
He added that the uncertainty affected not only the players but also the coaching staff, saying, “That’s going to affect us mentally, especially me as a head coach, because I want to focus on technical stuff.”
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