U.S. Government Relaxes Travel Restrictions for Iranian National Team, Allowing Entry Two Days Before Match

The U.S. government has relaxed travel restrictions for the Iranian national football team participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Associated Press reported today (June 24) that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has allowed the Iranian team to travel to the United States two days before their World Cup match.
With this measure, the Iranian team will be able to travel to Seattle, U.S., on June 25, two days ahead of their final group stage match against Egypt, which is scheduled for June 27 (KST).
However, the condition requiring the team to depart the U.S. immediately after the match remains in effect.
An official from the White House FIFA Task Force told the Associated Press in an interview, "This was already planned," adding, "We wanted to see how the first two trips went, and if they went smoothly, we intended to extend it by one day considering the long travel time."
Previously, the U.S. government had imposed travel restrictions on the Iranian team, allowing them to enter the U.S. only within 24 hours of a match and requiring them to return to their training base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, immediately after the game.
Because of this, Iranian head coach Amir Ghalenoei expressed his frustration after a 0-0 draw in their second group stage match against Belgium, stating, "What we need most is recovery. The current travel conditions are too harsh for us."
The Iranian team had requested more time to acclimate to the host city and recover after matches, noting that Seattle, where their third group stage match will be held, is 1,200 miles (approximately 1,931 km) away from their base camp.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.