Iran plans to lodge a complaint with world football governing body FIFA over travel restrictions imposed on its team during the World Cup in the United States, the country’s football federation said on Friday.
Iran are based in co-host Mexico for the tournament but must travel into the United States for their Group G matches. According to the federation, U.S. authorities require the team to enter the country within 24 hours of each match and depart on the same day, citing visa uncertainties and ongoing tensions between the two countries.
The restrictions have forced Iran to commute for all three of their group-stage games in the United States, a situation coach Amir Ghalenoei said had left his side at a disadvantage.
“The Football Federation of Iran believes these restrictions are inconsistent with the principles of providing equal conditions for participating teams and may affect their technical preparation,” the federation said in a statement announcing its intention to protest to FIFA.
Neither FIFA nor the U.S. Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to requests for comment.
Ghalenoei said the travel arrangements had negatively affected his team’s preparations for their opening Group G match, a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday.
“Under the coaching staff’s plan, the national team needed to travel to the host city two days before each match in order to achieve optimal technical and physical condition, and then return to their base the day after the match,” the federation said.
“However, for the opening match against New Zealand, this request was not approved.”
Iran face Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 before concluding their group-stage campaign against Egypt in Seattle on June 27.
The team are seeking to advance beyond the group stage for the first time in their World Cup history.
