Iran World Cup squad faces unchanged US travel restrictions despite peace deal

According to US officials, Iranian players will only be permitted entry into the United States one day prior to each match and must depart immediately afterward. This policy remains in effect despite the diplomatic breakthrough. The Iranian federation, FFIRI, stated it would pursue the complaint through FIFA's legal channels, highlighting the restrictions as a significant disadvantage.

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei has described his team as the 'most oppressed' in international competition history. The team's planned arrival two days before matches to allow for recovery and adjustment has been thwarted, with players arriving just one day before their opening match against New Zealand and being required to leave immediately after. Forward Mehdi Taremi confirmed players were informed of the post-match departure requirement on the day of the game.

Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House task force for the tournament, dismissed the federation's complaint, asserting that the entry and exit procedures were clearly communicated from the outset. Iran's request to arrive earlier in Los Angeles for their upcoming match against Belgium was also denied.

These travel restrictions exacerbate existing tensions, with Washington also refusing visas for approximately 15 members of Iran's backroom staff, including federation president Mehdi Taj. FIFA, while having previously removed a host nation over visa issues (Indonesia for the 2023 U-20 World Cup), has limited authority over immigration enforcement, which it states is outside its jurisdiction, despite host city agreements requiring non-discriminatory visa environments.