Iran’s football federation will lodge an official complaint with FIFA over travel restrictions that have forced the national team to shuttle in and out of the United States on matchdays, a spokesman confirmed on Thursday. The immediate trigger was the denial of a request to fly from the squad’s base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles two days before Sunday’s Group G fixture against Belgium. Organisers insisted the team could arrive only 24 hours ahead of the midday kick-off, a ruling the federation says disregards technical needs for acclimatisation and a final training session.

The restrictions first bit during Iran’s opening 2-2 draw with New Zealand, also in Los Angeles. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei said his players were ordered to leave US soil the same night, scuppering recovery plans. “We should have stayed overnight to recuperate and return tomorrow at lunchtime, but they didn’t allow us,” he told reporters. “I think maybe our team is the most oppressed in the whole World Cup.” Captain Mehdi Taremi described the logistical chaos as a “disaster”, adding that the squad learned of the immediate departure only on matchday. The federation had submitted a detailed preparation schedule well in advance, envisaging arrival two days before each game and departure the following day, but that rhythm has been broken twice now.

Viewed from Washington, the measures are pre-agreed security protocols, not last-minute obstructions. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said Iran had been informed from the outset that entry would be permitted on “match day minus one” and that the delegation must leave the evening of the game. The same framework will apply for the final group match against Egypt in Seattle on 27 June. The travel constraints sit alongside a wider visa tangle: up to 15 officials and backroom staff were denied US entry, forcing the entire camp to relocate from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana just before the tournament. One player, Mehdi Torabi, received only a single-entry visa while teammates hold multiple-entry permits, and two delegation members were temporarily detained at Los Angeles airport after the New Zealand game.

Despite the frictions, FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the Iranian dressing room after the New Zealand draw, telling players they were “stronger than everything” and had sent a powerful message. Iran now head into the Belgium contest level on points with their opponents after both sides drew their openers, knowing a victory would significantly boost their chances of reaching the knockout stage. The formal complaint, however, ensures that off-field tensions will continue to shadow their campaign through the American leg of the tournament.