U.S. Requires Iran Soccer Team to Enter and Exit U.S. Same Day for World Cup Matches

U.S. authorities require Iranian national soccer team members to enter the United States within 24 hours of each match and to depart the same day. Iran’s national soccer team is based in Tijuana, Mexico, and is commuting across the border for its three group-stage matches in the United States.

The team trained in Tijuana on Thursday, June 18, 2026. The Football Federation of Iran announced on Friday that it will lodge a complaint with FIFA alleging that the travel restrictions are inconsistent with equal conditions for all participating teams and may affect technical preparation. Coach Amir Ghalenoei stated that the restrictions made Iran the “most oppressed” team in the tournament.

He also stated that the restrictions had already prejudiced Iran in its 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday. Under the coaching staff’s plan, the team needed to arrive in each host city two days before a match and return to its base the day after. Iran requested to arrive two days before its opening match against New Zealand, but the request was not approved.

Iran faces Belgium on June 21, 2026, in Los Angeles and concludes its Group G schedule against Egypt on June 27, 2026, in Seattle. Reuters reported that neither FIFA nor the Department of Homeland Security had responded to its requests for comment as of June 19, 2026, at 9:29 AM EDT.