The United States will not relax travel restrictions on Iran’s national football team ahead of their World Cup group-stage match against Belgium in Los Angeles, a senior tournament official has confirmed.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the tournament, said the current travel arrangements for the Iranian squad will remain in place, despite growing criticism from Iranian officials and players.
Giuliani confirmed that Iran’s squad will continue under strict travel rules requiring them to arrive at match venues within 24 hours of kickoff and return immediately after games to their training base in Tijuana, Mexico.
He added that the United States is still reviewing logistics for Iran’s upcoming fixtures but said there are no plans at present to ease restrictions.
Iran’s complaint over recovery time
The Iranian team has expressed frustration over the arrangements, arguing that the schedule prevents proper recovery between matches.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei described his squad as “the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup,” after players were required to leave Los Angeles shortly after their opening match against New Zealand.
Iran’s delegation reportedly departed within hours of the final whistle, returning to their base in Mexico without an overnight stay in California.
The situation was further complicated after winger Mehdi Torabi initially faced visa expiration issues following Iran’s first match.
However, US officials later confirmed the problem was resolved, with Torabi granted a new multiple-entry visa allowing him to continue participating in the tournament.
The same travel protocol will apply for Iran’s upcoming Group G match against Belgium in Los Angeles.
Officials confirmed the team is scheduled to arrive in the city roughly 24 hours before kickoff before returning to Tijuana shortly after the match.
'Situation is dynamic,' says US official
Giuliani said the arrangements remain under continuous review, particularly ahead of Iran’s final group match against Egypt in Seattle.
He noted that discussions will continue after each fixture to determine whether any adjustments are needed.
Defending the restrictions, Giuliani said the earlier relocation of Iran’s training base from Tucson to Tijuana had already reduced travel time for the team.
He emphasized that the measures are designed to balance security concerns with tournament logistics.
“We want to make sure we have an incredible tournament while protecting both American citizens and international visitors,” he said.
US officials said intelligence monitoring for the World Cup has been intensified, though no credible threats have been identified so far.
Giuliani added that authorities are maintaining close coordination with security agencies throughout the tournament.
