RismadarVoice Reporters, June 19, 2026
Iran’s national football team has announced plans to lodge a formal complaint with FIFA over what it described as restrictive travel measures affecting its preparations for the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
The Iranian Football Federation disclosed the development on Thursday, accusing tournament organisers of denying a request to allow the team additional time to prepare for its upcoming group-stage fixture against Belgium in Los Angeles.
According to a spokesman for the federation, Iran had submitted its tournament preparation plans well in advance but has repeatedly faced obstacles that have disrupted the team’s technical and logistical arrangements.
The official said the latest disagreement centres on the team’s proposed travel schedule from its training base in Tijuana, Mexico, to the United States ahead of Sunday’s crucial match against Belgium.
Iran had requested permission to travel to Los Angeles two days before the fixture to give players enough time to acclimatise to local conditions, complete their final training sessions, and finalise tactical preparations.
However, the federation claims the request was rejected by tournament authorities.
“Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran’s national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff’s plans,” the spokesman said.
He explained that the request was based purely on sporting and technical considerations, particularly because the match is scheduled to kick off at 12 noon local time in Los Angeles.
“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,” he stated.
“The aim was to provide sufficient time for players to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalise preparations.”
The spokesman expressed disappointment that the request was reportedly turned down despite the reasons presented by the federation.
“Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied,” he added.
The complaint comes amid heightened scrutiny surrounding Iran’s participation in the World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Iranian national team, popularly known as Team Melli, has been operating from a training base in Tijuana, Mexico, while playing some of its matches in the United States.
Iranian officials argue that travel arrangements are a crucial aspect of tournament preparation, particularly for teams required to move across international borders during the competition.
Football experts note that sufficient recovery and acclimatisation time can play an important role in player performance, especially during a major tournament where matches are closely scheduled.
As of the time of filing this report, FIFA had not publicly responded to Iran’s planned complaint or the allegations regarding travel restrictions.
The world football governing body is expected to review any formal submission made by the Iranian Football Federation and determine whether tournament regulations were properly applied.
Iran’s next match against Belgium is considered a key fixture in its quest to progress to the knockout stage of the tournament.
The outcome of the dispute is unlikely to affect the scheduling of the game, but Iranian officials insist that equal treatment and fair tournament conditions must be guaranteed for all participating nations.
The federation said it intends to pursue the matter through official channels to ensure what it described as a level playing field for teams competing at the World Cup.
