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U.S. Extends Iranian Team Stay by One Day for World Cup Match
The administration will allow the Iranian football team to enter the country two days before its final group-stage match against Egypt. The team must still depart the same day the match ends.
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The administration of United States President Donald Trump says it will allow the Iranian football team to come into the country two days before their final group-stage of the World Cup against Egypt, extending their stay in the country by one more day.
Team Melli will still be not be allowed to stay in the US overnight after the match, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed on Tuesday.
“For the Iranian team’s third match in Seattle on June 26, the team has been permitted to come into the US two days before the match,” a DHS spokesperson told Al Jazeera. The department did not explain the reasons behind the decision, which coincides with subsiding tensions between Tehran and Washington amid a ceasefire deal and diplomatic talks.
“The Iran team will still be required to leave the day the match ends. The overall security measures and protocol are the same,” the DHS spokesperson said. US officials have suggested that their restrictions on the Iranian team has to do with security without providing details on the stay of internationally renowned athletes in the country could pose a threat to anyone.
Last week, Iranian coach Amir Ghalenoei described his team as “the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup”. The Iranian side has had to miss training sessions due to travelling the day before their matches. The order to have them leave almost immediately after the games has also affected their post-match recovery programme, Ghalenoei has suggested.
Before Iran’s opening game against New Zealand in Los Angeles, Ghalenoei said the US travel guidelines are creating a challenge for Team Melli. “This kind of behaviour will negatively impact the spirit of football,” Ghalenoei told reporters. Before the tournament, the US denied entry to award-winning Somali referee Omar Artan who was set to participate in the tournament.
Iran come into the Egypt match with two points from two games. A win would guarantee them a spot in the round of 32; a draw may also suffice depending on other results. Egypt have four points and can guarantee finishing top of the group if they win.
