The White House may ease visa restrictions for Iran's national team at the 2026 World Cup

The US presidential administration is considering revising the tough travel restrictions faced by Iran's national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Currently, visa requirements require the team to arrive in the United States just one day before the game and leave the country on the same day as the game. During the World Cup, the base camp of the Iranian national team is located in Mexico, which is the co-host of the tournament along with the USA and Canada. Such strict logistical framework has already caused indignation in the state of the team. After the opening match in Los Angeles against the New Zealand national team, which ended in a draw, the head coach of the Iranians The executive director of the White House World Cup 2026 task force, Andrew Giuliani, confirmed that discussions are currently underway to change the travel schedule for the Iranians. This is especially true for their third group stage match against Egypt, which is scheduled for June 27 in Seattle. Giuliani explained that the restrictions were logical for the first two matches in Los Angeles, since the flight from the base in Mexico took only 30 minutes. However, the journey to Seattle will take about three hours, which forces the American side to seek a compromise. "I know the president wants to be able to really maintain a competitive balance on the field while making sure that we don't jeopardize our national security. We want to make sure that the Iranian team has an opportunity to come and compete. What we've done for them has been impressive, and to President Trump's credit for that. Ultimately, he signed an executive order that allowed the team to come and play in the World Cup," Giuliani said in an interview with KOMO TV News. Despite the statements of American officials, the Iranian side remains dissatisfied and demands equal conditions with other participants. The main requirements of the Iran Football Federation include: Permission to arrive in the host city two days before the match. Ability to return to base camp the day after the game for optimal recovery. In its statement to the press, the Iranian federation emphasized: "Such restrictions are incompatible with the principle of ensuring a level playing field for all participating teams and may negatively affect the preparation processes. Accordingly, the federation will officially express its dissatisfaction and submit an official complaint to FIFA through the appropriate channels." The next test for the Iranian national team will take place next Sunday. The team will play its second match at the tournament against the Belgian national team in Inglewood (Los Angeles). The meeting starts at 22:00.