Iran coach says World Cup travel restrictions will ease for final match

Iran have been granted extended time in the United States for their final group match against Egypt on Friday having previously complained about their treatment by the American authorities. Coach Amir Ghalenoei was heavily critical after the team’s opening match against New Zealand, saying they had been told they could only come to Los Angeles 24 hours before the match from their training camp in Tijuana, Mexico and had to leave straight afterwards.

The U.S. is easing its restrictions on Iran's World Cup team, allowing the squad to travel into the country two days before its next match, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday. The team will still be required to leave after Friday's match in Seattle, a department spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the Iran Football Federation confirmed that the team will leave its base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, on Wednesday for Seattle.

Iran will be allowed to travel to the United States earlier than initially planned for their last World Cup group stage match against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle, coach Amir Ghalenoei said. "For the last game, they allowed us to decide on our own travel plans.

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei says that although his team is still being treated unfairly by the host U.S. at the World Cup through travel restrictions and visa refusals, he is optimistic FIFA will persuade the Americans to lessen some of those strictures next week. “I am very glad that the Iranian nation is behind us,” Ghalenoei said through an interpreter.

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said Saturday he has been told US travel restrictions on his World Cup team will finally be eased for their third group game, but blasted the treatment they have received so far for damaging their on-field performance.Ghalenoei on Saturday said he had been told his team will have more flexibility for their final match, before quickly adding that it would have been "justice" for his team to have the same treatment for its first two games.