‘Most Persecuted Team’: Iran to File FIFA Complaint over World Cup Restrictions

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

Iran's national team. (Photo: Instagram/@teammellifootball).

Iran’s football federation plans to file a FIFA complaint, alleging travel and visa restrictions have disrupted World Cup preparations.

Key Developments

• Iran’s football federation says it will formally complain to FIFA over restrictions affecting the national team’s preparations.
• Officials argue travel limitations and visa denials violate the principle of equal opportunities for participating teams.
• Iran claims it has repeatedly been prevented from arriving early in host cities ahead of World Cup matches.

Iran Announces FIFA Complaint

An official from Iran’s national football team announced on Thursday that the Iranian Football Federation intends to file a formal complaint with FIFA over restrictions imposed on the team during the World Cup.

The official said the measures have prevented the team from preparing properly for upcoming matches and argued that they contradict the principle of equal treatment for participating nations.

“These restrictions contradict the principle of equal opportunities for all participating teams,” the official said. “They may harm the preparations.”

He added that the federation would officially express its dissatisfaction and pursue a complaint through FIFA’s established channels.

‘The Most Persecuted Team’

The complaint follows remarks made earlier this week by Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei after his side’s 2-2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles.

Ghalenoei described Iran as “the most persecuted team in the World Cup,” citing a series of logistical obstacles that have affected the squad since the start of the tournament.

Iranian officials have repeatedly expressed frustration over travel arrangements and administrative restrictions surrounding the team.

Visa Problems and Relocation

According to Iranian officials, the United States refused to grant visas to approximately 15 members of the team’s support staff.

The national team was also forced to relocate its training base to Tijuana in Mexico after initially planning to establish its camp in Arizona.

Iran says these complications have disrupted carefully planned preparations developed by the coaching staff before the tournament.

The Iranian delegation had established a preparation plan under which the team would arrive in each host city two days before every match and return to its training base the day after.

However, officials say the team was only allowed to arrive in Los Angeles one day before its opening match against New Zealand and was required to leave immediately afterward.

According to the federation, the same situation is now repeating itself ahead of Iran’s second World Cup match against Belgium.

Iran reportedly requested permission to arrive in Los Angeles on Friday to allow players additional time to acclimatize before Sunday’s match, but officials said the request was rejected.

The federation argues that such restrictions place the team at a competitive disadvantage and undermine efforts to ensure equal conditions for all participants at the tournament.

(PC, Al Mayadeen)