Iran Coach Ghalenoei Welcomes Eased Travel Rules Ahead Of Egypt Clash

Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has revealed that travel restrictions imposed on his side during the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be relaxed ahead of their final Group G fixture against Egypt.

Naija News reports that the Iranian team has been based in Mexico throughout the tournament to avoid visa-related complications in the United States, forcing players and staff to make repeated cross-border trips for matches.

Ghalenoei said the arrangement had taken a toll on the squad, arguing that the extensive travel contributed to their struggles, particularly in the earlier match against New Zealand.

Speaking at a press conference, the Iran boss said the team would finally have greater control over their preparations for the decisive encounter with Egypt.

“They said in Seattle, you can do what you want, you can act the way you want to, and you can come earlier,” he said, without identifying who had provided the information.

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

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

“And I think, because we have been flying too much, commuting, as a result of this long commute, we’ve been tired.”

The coach also disclosed that the team arrived in the United States on Saturday, less than 24 hours before kick-off, despite initially being led to believe they could travel a day earlier.

According to Ghalenoei, FIFA officials informed the delegation on Friday afternoon that an earlier trip might be possible, only for those plans to fall through later in the day.

“We waited till 7.00pm, nothing happened, and they said, ‘Sorry, we weren’t able to do that’,” he said.

The uncertainty, he added, affected not only the players but also the coaching staff.

“That’s going to affect us mentally, especially me as a head coach, because I want to focus on technical stuff,” he said.