Iran travel restrictions hamper Team Melli’s World Cup 2026 preparation, players say
Iran travel restrictions at World Cup 2026 have disrupted Team Melli’s preparation, players and coach say, blaming US visa and entry limits for tight schedules.
Iran’s national team has publicly accused US-imposed travel and visa restrictions of undermining their World Cup campaign after a series of forced movements and staff exclusions that the players say have affected recovery and match readiness. The complaints followed Iran’s match with New Zealand in Los Angeles, where players said they were flown back to base camp in Mexico on the same day despite plans to train and recover in the city. Striker Mehdi Taremi, goalscorer Mohammad Mohebi and head coach Amir Ghalenoei described a compressed travel timetable and denied logistical control, while federation officials pointed to prior visa denials and limited ticket allocations for supporters.
Same-day return to Mexico after Los Angeles match
Players and coaching staff said they were ordered to depart Los Angeles on the same day as their match against New Zealand, eliminating a planned recovery session. Taremi and Mohebi told reporters the decision prevented the team from training and resting in Los Angeles as intended, and Ghalenoei said officials told the squad they “have to leave immediately.” The contingency, they said, was not the team’s choice and added to physical and mental strain ahead of subsequent fixtures.
Compressed arrival schedule before kick-off
Team members said they were flown into Los Angeles just one day before kickoff, despite an original plan to arrive two days earlier to adapt and recover. Players argued that arriving within 24 hours of a match left insufficient time for acclimatisation and recovery work that is routine at tournaments of this scale. Coaches and medical staff warned that such tight turnarounds increase injury risk and limit tactical preparation, a point emphasised repeatedly by Taremi and Mohebi in post-match interviews.
Visa denials left key staff absent
An Iranian Football Federation official said eleven staffers had been denied entry to the United States, leaving the team without senior management, media personnel and its president. Ghalenoei told reporters that the absence of many in the federation’s delegation had hampered logistical and organisational support for the squad. The federation has also criticised FIFA after what it described as a last-minute revocation of its stadium ticket allocation, limiting Iranian fans to eight percent of capacity and leaving many supporters unable to attend matches.
FIFA response and Infantino’s visit to locker room
FIFA officials engaged with Iran’s delegation after the match, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the team in their locker room, Tasnim news agency reported. Infantino was quoted as offering reassurance, saying the players were “stronger than everything,” while Ghalenoei stressed that FIFA needed to take a firmer role in ensuring neutral sporting conditions. Players said FIFA officials attempted to curtail a lengthier press exchange, according to reporting by The Athletic, but the squad continued to voice concerns to assembled journalists.
Protests and fan presence at Los Angeles arrival
When the Iranian team arrived in Los Angeles they were met by a small group of protesters from the Iranian diaspora carrying American, Israeli and pre-revolution Iranian flags. The visible dissent compounded the team’s off-field challenges and occurred against a backdrop of limited ticket access for Iran’s supporters. The federation directly blamed US authorities for influencing both fan attendance and broader logistical arrangements, stating the actions raised questions about political considerations affecting the organisation of the tournament.
Players and coaching staff repeatedly described the sequence of events as unfair and exhausting, but affirmed their intent to continue competing at full strength. Taremi said that while the team was “really troubled,” it would not allow external constraints to diminish its performance on the field. Ghalenoei and others urged FIFA to intervene more decisively to protect teams’ ability to prepare and to preserve the sporting integrity of matches.
Iran’s delegation framed the disputes as part of longer-standing diplomatic and administrative frictions that have translated into concrete sporting obstacles at the tournament. The federation’s complaints over ticketing, denied entries and compressed travel were presented as consistent with broader claims that non-sporting considerations have influenced World Cup arrangements. Officials called on tournament organisers and governing bodies to ensure that all national teams can compete under equal logistical and security conditions.
Despite the controversies and logistical setbacks, Team Melli has emphasized focus on match performance and recovery within the limitations imposed on them. Players and coach insisted they will keep preparing as best they can and push for results on the pitch, while asking FIFA and tournament organisers to address what they describe as inequities affecting their campaign.
