Iran to File FIFA Complaint Over 2026 World Cup Travel Restrictions
Iran’s football federation has announced it will lodge a formal complaint with FIFA, claiming that travel restrictions imposed for the 2026 World Cup are hindering the team’s preparations for its upcoming group‑stage clash against Belgium.
The federation’s spokesman said on Thursday that Iran had submitted its tournament plans well in advance, yet still faced repeated obstacles that affect the coaching staff’s ability to execute their preparation programme.
Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well ahead of time, Iran’s national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, which affect the implementation of the technical staff’s plans.
Iran is currently based in Tijuana, Mexico, and had requested permission to travel to Los Angeles two days before the Sunday match against Belgium. The federation argued that an earlier arrival was necessary to allow players enough time to acclimatise and complete their final preparations before the midday kick‑off.
“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 spokesman said. “The aim was to provide sufficient time for players to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalise preparations.”
Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied, prompting frustration within the Iranian camp and setting the stage for a complaint to football’s world governing body.
The federation believes the decision could place the team at a competitive disadvantage as it seeks to progress from the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.
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