White House considers relaxing travel restrictions for Iran during the 2026 World Cup

The White House is discussing possibly adjusting the strict travel restrictions that currently apply to the Iranian national football team during the 2026 World Cup. Iran, which has its home base in Mexico during the tournament, is currently only allowed to fly to the United States one day before the match and must leave the country on the day of the match. These restrictions have led to dissatisfaction from the Iranian camp.

After Iran's draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles (2-2), national coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed his frustration and called his team 'the most oppressed team at the tournament'. The limited preparation time in America in particular would have a detrimental effect on performance.

Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House Special Task Force for the World Cup, told local station KOMO TV that discussions are ongoing regarding Iran's travel arrangements, specifically around their third group match against Egypt in Seattle on June 27. The White House considered it acceptable for Iran to spend a short time in the US only for the matches in Los Angeles due to the limited travel time from Mexico, but for Seattle the longer flight (up to three hours) would require an adjustment. Giuliani emphasized that the United States seeks a balance between fair sporting conditions and national security.

The Iranian Football Federation advocates that the team, like other countries, should be allowed to arrive two days prior to a match and only travel back a day afterward, to ensure optimal preparation and recovery. The federation has indicated that it will submit an official complaint about this to the global football association.

Iran will play its next group match on Sunday, June 23 against Belgium, again in Los Angeles.

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