June 27, 2026
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei criticised travel restrictions imposed on the team by the United States after their 1-1 draw with Egypt at the World Cup in Seattle on Friday.
Despite having to commute from Mexico to the US for their three group-stage fixtures, Iran came into the match with an outside chance of topping the group.
The US eased travel restrictions on the squad slightly for Friday's match, allowing them to arrive in the Seattle area two days early.
"The host country treated us very unfairly," Ghalenoei told reporters after the match. "Had the host nation allowed us to arrive two weeks earlier, to be more prepared ... we would have been in better shape, physically, mentally. However, they deprived us of that justice."
