Iran’s football team will be granted greater freedom of movement in the United States for their final World Cup group match in Seattle, easing travel restrictions that have dogged their campaign in Los Angeles and Houston. Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, announced the change on Saturday during a press conference in Los Angeles, where his side faces Belgium on Sunday in a pivotal Group G clash. The decision follows weeks of diplomatic friction between Washington and Tehran over visa conditions that had forced the Iranian players to arrive late, depart early, and remain under tight supervision.

Ghalenoei told reporters that U.S. authorities have now agreed to relax the restrictions specifically for the team’s third group-stage fixture, scheduled for 25 June at Lumen Field in Seattle. “We have been promised that the travel limitations will be eased for our final match,” he said. “This is a positive step, but it comes after a difficult period where our players were treated in a way that affected their performance.” The coach did not detail the exact scope of the new freedoms, but multiple Dutch and German outlets reported that the team will be allowed to stay longer and move more freely within the host city.

The dispute erupted before Iran’s opening match against England in Houston on 14 June, when players were held at the airport for hours before being permitted to enter the country. Subsequent reports confirmed that Washington had refused to relax entry rules for the second group game against Belgium in Los Angeles, forcing the team to arrive just 48 hours before kick-off and leave within 24 hours of the final whistle. The restrictions were widely criticised by FIFA and human rights groups, with Iran’s football federation threatening formal complaints.

Belgium, meanwhile, arrived in Los Angeles on Friday to prepare for Sunday’s 20:00 local time kick-off at SoFi Stadium. The Red Devils, who drew 1-1 with Egypt in their opener, sit level on one point with Iran, England and the United States in Group G. Belgium’s manager, Domineco Tedesco, downplayed the off-field tensions, saying his focus was solely on the tactical challenge posed by Iran’s defensive organisation. “We respect the situation, but football is football,” he told reporters. “We have to perform.”

The easing of restrictions in Seattle offers Iran a rare chance to operate with fewer distractions ahead of a must-win encounter. Yet the episode has already cast a shadow over the tournament’s ability to separate sport from geopolitics, a tension that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has repeatedly vowed to address. With the group standings still fluid, Iran’s players will hope the newfound mobility translates into sharper performances on the pitch.

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