11 days · 6 summary articles
Iran is set to lodge a complaint with FIFA over travel restrictions at the World Cup 2026, according to multiple sources. The complaint comes after Iran was denied permission to fly to the United States two days before their next match.
Iran's national team is scheduled to play their next match on Sunday in Los Angeles against Belgium. They wanted to fly from their base camp in Mexico to Los Angeles two days before the match, but were denied. Instead, they can only arrive 24 hours before the match, just like they did for their previous match on Monday.
"The restrictions are not in line with the principle of ensuring equal conditions for all teams," a source close to the Iranian team told Al Jazeera .
The World Cup 2026 is being held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iran is staying in Mexico for their base camp. The issue is about travel restrictions to the United States.
According to the Hungarian news site 444.hu, the team will arrive in Los Angeles only 24 hours before the match on Sunday, just like they did for their previous match on Monday. They believe the restrictions are not in line with the principle of ensuring equal conditions for all teams .
The Dutch news site RTL NL reports that the team was not allowed to travel from their base camp in Mexico to Los Angeles two days before the match against Belgium on Sunday .
The Slovenian news site RTVSLO reports that the Iranian national team is dissatisfied with the treatment by the American authorities and will file an official complaint with FIFA about the travel restrictions .
The reason for the travel restrictions is not specified in the sources. However, Iran and the United States have had tense relations for many years, which could be a factor.
In sports, equal conditions are crucial for fair competition. Travel restrictions can affect a team's preparation and performance, as they may have less time to acclimate to the new environment and recover from travel fatigue.
Iran's complaint to FIFA is expected to highlight the unfairness of the travel restrictions and their impact on the team's preparation and performance.
This is a developing story. More details are expected to emerge as the situation unfolds.
2 further sources not geolocated