The White House is weighing changes to strict travel limits placed on Iran’s national team at the 2026 World Cup after concerns the rules hurt competitive fairness. Under current visa conditions, Iran may enter the U.S. only one day before a match and must depart the same day, a policy that left coach Amir Ghalenoei calling his squad “the most oppressed” after a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in Los Angeles.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup task force, told KOMO-TV that officials are “in discussions” about easing travel times for Iran’s third group game in Seattle on June 27, since flights from their Mexico base could take up to three hours. Giuliani said President Trump supports balancing competitive fairness with national security and praised efforts to allow Iran to compete after an executive order permitted their participation. Iran’s federation has formally requested teams be allowed to arrive two days early and return the day after matches to ensure proper preparation and plans to file a complaint with FIFA if restrictions remain. Keywords: Iran World Cup travel, US visa rules, Iran football team, 2026 World Cup, White House discussions.
