Iran's football federation has announced it will file a formal complaint with FIFA over travel restrictions imposed on the national team during the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to a federation spokesman cited by France 24.

At the heart of the dispute is Iran's request to fly from their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to Los Angeles two days before their Group D clash against Belgium, scheduled for Sunday at 12pm local time. That request was denied by tournament organisers.

"Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran's national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff's plans," the spokesman said.

The federation argued that arriving two days early was necessary to allow players sufficient time to adapt to match conditions, complete a final training session, and finalize all technical preparations. The request, they said, was refused despite detailed technical justification.

Forced to leave LA on match night

Iran's frustration did not begin with the Belgium fixture. The federation also expressed anger over being required to leave Los Angeles on the evening of their opening match — a 2-2 draw against New Zealand — rather than being allowed to stay overnight.

The US administration has rejected Iran's characterisation of the situation. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, confirmed on Monday that Iran had been informed in advance of the terms governing their entry into the United States.

"The team will be allowed to come in, match day minus one, so the day before the match. They'll be asked to leave the day that the match wraps up, so the evening of the match. And they'll be able to do that again in Los Angeles," Giuliani told CBS News.

Giuliani further confirmed that the same conditions will apply to Iran's final group-stage match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The dispute adds a politically charged dimension to Iran's participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026, with the team navigating diplomatic tensions alongside their on-field campaign.