Iran is set to submit an official complaint to Fifa concerning the “restrictions imposed by the organisers” on their team during the World Cup. The complaint arises after Iran was informed that they would only be allowed to arrive in Los Angeles 24 hours prior to their pivotal match against Belgium this Sunday.
Following their Group G opener against New Zealand, head coach Amir Ghalenoei contended that Iran is the “The football federation of Iran believes that such restrictions are inconsistent with the principle of providing equal conditions for all participating teams and may negatively affect teams’ preparation processes. “Consequently, the federation will formally express its dissatisfaction and lodge an official complaint with Fifa through the appropriate channels. Despite these limitations, Iran’s national team will continue its preparation program [sic] and remain fully focused on its upcoming match against Belgium.” team in the tournament. Team captain Mehdi Taremi described the recent logistical challenges as a “disaster,” emphasizing the difficulties faced.
The issue stems from the directive that Iran must fly directly to their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, immediately after their match at Los Angeles Stadium, rather than returning the next day for recovery. The team feels compelled to voice their concerns to Fifa due to the limitation on their arrival, which mirrors the situation before their 2-2 draw with New Zealand.
Iran’s federation is dissatisfied with the arrangement, especially since Sunday’s match will take place at midday local time in Los Angeles, requiring the team to travel to the airport on Saturday. This contrasts with their previous game, which commenced at 6 p.m. local time.
FFIRI’s Official Statement
In a statement issued on Friday, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) asserted.
“The football federation of Iran believes that such restrictions are inconsistent with the principle of providing equal conditions for all participating teams and may negatively affect teams’ preparation processes.”
“Consequently, the federation will formally express its dissatisfaction and lodge an official complaint with Fifa through the appropriate channels. Despite these limitations, Iran’s national team will continue its preparation program and remain fully focused on its upcoming match against Belgium,”
As of now, Fifa has been approached for comments regarding this matter.
