FIFA council member condemns Iran's World Cup conditions after squad forced to base in Mexico

A senior FIFA council member has condemned the conditions imposed on Iran at the 2026 World Cup, describing the situation as “not fair at all” after the squad was forced to relocate its training base to Mexico and was ordered to depart the United States within hours of playing each fixture.

Speaking anonymously to The Observer, the council member questioned how Iran could be expected to compete on equal terms with other nations. “How can Iran be expected to compete under the conditions they have been given, in which they have to come from Mexico and have to leave the United States within hours of playing every match?” the official said. “Every team is supposed to compete under the same conditions. How can they prepare properly for the matches they have to play? This is not fair at all.”

The council member added that the situation was “not acceptable” but acknowledged the political complexity of a tournament hosted in the United States. “I understand the political environment in which this World Cup is being organised, which makes things very difficult to manage,” they said. “It is very difficult to speak openly about these issues.”

Iran’s difficulties extend beyond logistics. A number of backroom staff members were denied US visas, leaving the squad without key personnel including their federation president, vice-president, and analysts. Other nations have faced related problems, with supporters from Senegal and Ivory Coast unable to travel to matches, and Somali referee Omar Artan denied entry to the country.

Despite the disruption, Iran opened their World Cup campaign with a 2-2 draw against New Zealand. Head coach Amir Ghalenoei was visibly frustrated after the match, revealing his side had been told to leave immediately rather than being allowed to recover on site. “After the game, they said to us ‘You have to leave immediately’, whereas it’s very important for us to have recovery,” he said. “They are making the situation more and more difficult. We were supposed to arrive two nights before the game, but they didn’t permit it. Our team is the most oppressed one in the whole World Cup.”

Forward Mehdi Taremi echoed those concerns, describing the overall situation as “a disaster”. “We don’t have our media, we don’t have our president of federation, we don’t have vice president, and no one — some staff also, which is so important for us,” Taremi said. “Our analyser, for example, have come here doing the job of the media.”

The complaints add to growing scrutiny over the United States’ handling of World Cup logistics, particularly regarding the treatment of nations with strained diplomatic relations with Washington.