WASHINGTON — The United States has eased travel restrictions on Iran’s national soccer team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, allowing the squad to enter the country two days before its upcoming group-stage match in Seattle, U.S. officials said this week.
The policy change was announced by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday and applies to Iran’s June 26 match against Egypt. Previously, Iranian players were permitted to enter the United States only one day before matches and were required to leave immediately afterward, according to U.S. officials.
“For the Iranian team’s third match in Seattle on June 26, the team has been permitted to come into the U.S. two days before the match,” a DHS spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the team “will still be required to leave the day the match ends” and that broader security protocols remain unchanged.
The adjustment follows complaints from Iranian football officials, who argued that earlier restrictions disrupted preparations for World Cup matches. Iran’s team has been based in Tijuana, Mexico, during the tournament and has traveled across the border for games played in the United States. Iranian coach Amir Ghalenoei previously criticized the arrangements, describing his team as “the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup,” according to Reuters.
Iran’s football federation had indicated it planned to lodge a complaint with FIFA over the travel rules, arguing that the measures undermined equal treatment of participating teams. Iranian officials said repeated cross-border travel affected recovery time and match preparation.
U.S. officials defended the restrictions as security-related. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House task force overseeing World Cup coordination, told reporters earlier that authorities would continue evaluating the arrangements while seeking to maintain safety during the tournament. He later told the Associated Press that extending the team’s stay before the Seattle match had been under consideration following earlier travel movements.
The travel measures have drawn attention amid broader tensions between Washington and Tehran. Earlier this month, U.S. authorities confirmed that Iranian players had received visas to participate in the tournament, though some federation staff members reportedly faced visa-related issues.
As of Thursday, the revised travel arrangement remained in effect for Iran’s match against Egypt in Seattle. U.S. officials said no additional changes to the team’s travel protocol had been announced.
