Iran soccer team’s travel restrictions to World Cup games in US to be eased, says coach

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei says he has been told US travel restrictions on his World Cup team will finally be eased for its third group game, but blasts the treatment it has received so far, saying it damaged the team’s on-field performance.

The Iranian squad arrived at the World Cup with its country still at war with co-hosts the United States, and has been based in Mexico while playing all its games in the US.

That has required frequent cross-border travel, and US authorities have only permitted the team to remain in the country for a few hours after each game, with restrictions frequently shifting last-minute.

After playing Belgium in Los Angeles on Sunday, Iran’s final group game will take place in Seattle on Friday against Egypt.

Ghalenoei says he has been told his team will have more flexibility for its final match, before quickly adding that it would have been “justice” for his team to have the same treatment for its first two games.

“They said in Seattle, you can do what you want, you can act the way you want to, and you can come earlier,” he tells a press conference, without specifying who exactly the information had come from.

“But what I want, my problem is, why didn’t they let us come earlier for the first two games as well?

“I just know for the last game, yes, they’ve allowed us to decide, to make our own decisions with regards to planning the travel.

“But unfortunately, for the first two games, others made these travel arrangements for us, and the timing for us.”