Iran's national football team will be allowed to enter the United States a day before their FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, easing concerns over travel restrictions. Meanwhile, Iran's football federation has criticized the withdrawal of its ticket allocation, saying many supporters who had already planned trips are now unable to attend, raising concerns about fairness and political influence.

Tijuana: Iran's national football team, who are currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be permitted to arrive in the United States the day before their matches, the Department of Homeland Security said.

The clarification comes after media reports over the weekend quoted Iran's ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, as saying that the team would be required to enter and exit the United States on the same day of their matches, raising concerns over travel logistics and possible impact on performance, according to Reuters.

Officials have now confirmed that the squad will be allowed to arrive a day prior to each fixture, easing earlier uncertainty surrounding their match-day movement arrangements.

"These statements are untrue. "Thanks to the generosity of President (Donald) Trump the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before their matches," the spokesperson said in a statement.