Iran’s soccer federation is preparing to take its frustrations with the United States government to FIFA. The team has been forced to operate under what head coach Amir Ghalenoei called “oppressive” travel restrictions during the World Cup, and now they’re making it official.
The problem is simple. Iran is only allowed to enter the U.S. the day before each of its group-stage matches and must leave immediately after. That’s not a lot of time for a team trying to prepare. All three of Iran’s group games are being played in the U.S., but the team has had to set up its training camp in Tijuana, Mexico, instead of the American base they wanted.
Their latest request? Fly into Los Angeles two days early ahead of Sunday’s match against Belgium, which kicks off at noon local time. Denied. The Football Federation of Iran confirmed it will now file a formal complaint with the World Cup organizers.
“Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied,” a spokesperson told multiple outlets. “The federation will formally express its dissatisfaction and lodge an official complaint with FIFA through the appropriate channels.”
This isn’t the first time they got shut down. A similar request was rejected before their opening Group G game against New Zealand on Monday. That match, also in LA, ended in a 2-2 draw.
A U.S. administration official defended the restrictions bluntly. “We will not allow the Iranian team to abuse this system to sneak terrorists into the United States under false pretences,” the official said.
But the travel limits aren’t the only headache. Multiple members of Iran’s backroom staff and federation officials have reportedly been denied visas to enter the U.S. entirely. So it’s not just the players dealing with this.
Protests and a tense atmosphere
Before that New Zealand match, somewhere between 300 and 500 protesters gathered outside the stadium. They waved anti-Iranian government signs and flags, protesting the country’s crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. Inside the stadium, loud jeers could be heard from sections of the crowd when the Iranian national anthem played.
Coach Ghalenoei has publicly called his team the “most oppressed” at the tournament. Whether FIFA does anything about that complaint remains to be seen. The organization was approached for comment on Iran’s schedule but hasn’t responded yet.
For now, Iran keeps bouncing between Tijuana and American stadiums. One day in, one day out. That’s the reality they’re stuck with.
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