INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei renewed his criticism of the travel restrictions imposed on Team Melli during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saying Saturday that his team continues to face challenges not experienced by other nations competing in the tournament.
Speaking a day before Iran's crucial Group F match against Belgium at SoFi Stadium, Ghalenoei said he remains hopeful that FIFA's ongoing discussions with U.S. authorities will lead to greater flexibility for Iran ahead of its final group-stage match against Egypt in Seattle next week.
“We are here for football, not politics,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter. “Our grievances are to the way they’ve behaved with us.”
Iran has been operating under special travel restrictions since tensions between the United States and Iran escalated earlier this year. Unlike most World Cup teams, Iran has been required to maintain its base in Tijuana, Mexico, and travel to U.S. host cities shortly before matches before returning immediately afterward.
Ghalenoei said the restrictions once again disrupted his team's preparations for Sunday's meeting with Belgium, which entered the tournament ranked No. 10 in FIFA's world rankings.
“We needed to have 24 hours (in Los Angeles), but they gave us less than 16 hours, and that is why we had to leave our training halfway,” Ghalenoei said. “These constraints have made it very difficult for us.”
The Iranian coach revealed that FIFA spent much of Friday attempting to persuade U.S. officials to allow his squad to travel to Los Angeles earlier, but those efforts ultimately failed.
“They said, ‘Sorry, we weren’t able to do that,’” Ghalenoei said. “And that’s going to affect us mentally, especially because as a head coach, I want to focus on technical things. I thank FIFA for that, but it doesn’t mean it’s succeeded.”
Iran opened its World Cup campaign with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium on Monday after a lengthy trip from Tijuana that included customs delays. Following that match, players and coaches publicly criticized tournament logistics, arguing that the travel requirements placed them at a competitive disadvantage.
Midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi echoed those concerns Saturday.
“You cannot deny that our situation hasn’t been the same as all the other teams,” Ezatolahi said. “All the other teams have managed to focus on their planning, whereas we have had to spend so much time just commuting.”
Ghalenoei also raised concerns about visa denials that prevented several members of Iran's delegation from entering the United States, including officials from the country's football federation and members of the team's support staff.
“Such kind of behavior is not suitable for a World Cup,” he said. “You invite a team, but you don’t let in their support staff, their backroom staff?”
Despite his frustrations, Ghalenoei praised FIFA President Gianni Infantino and tournament officials for attempting to ease restrictions. He said Iran has been informed it will have greater control over its travel arrangements for next week's match against Egypt in Seattle.
“For the third game, they said, ‘In Seattle, you can do what you want,’” Ghalenoei said. “You can come earlier. But my problem is, why didn’t they let us come earlier for the first two games as well?”
The coach stopped short of saying Iran's football federation would file a formal complaint with FIFA, saying the organization has instead chosen to voice its concerns publicly.
Ghalenoei also called on fellow World Cup coaches to speak out about what he views as unequal treatment.
“I ask the other 47 coaches a question, and none of them have responded to me,” he said. “If I had seen another team being treated the way we are being treated, I would say something.”
Belgium defender Thomas Meunier expressed sympathy for Iran's situation while acknowledging the difficulty of separating politics from sport during times of conflict.
“We usually don’t mix football with politics, but it’s quite challenging to separate the two,” Meunier said. “I would imagine some Iranian players have a family that’s directly impacted by the war, and we obviously feel for these people.”
Sunday's match against Belgium could prove pivotal for Iran's hopes of advancing to the knockout stage. After settling for a draw against New Zealand in its opener, Team Melli likely needs a positive result against Belgium before concluding group play against Egypt in Seattle.
For now, however, Ghalenoei said the conversation around his team continues to extend beyond football.
“I am very glad that the Iranian nation is behind us,” he said. “I hope we achieve peace, and I hope this kind of behavior does not become institutionalized in the World Cup.”