Iran stay in World Cup contention after Belgium draw amid US travel restrictions

TEHRAN: Iran kept their hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive after holding Belgium to a 0-0 draw in Group G on Sunday, despite operating under travel and visa restrictions in the United States that have complicated the team’s tournament schedule.

The draw left Iran unbeaten after two matches. Their campaign had already begun with a 2-2 result against New Zealand, while Belgium also have two points after drawing 1-1 with Egypt before being held by Iran. Egypt moved to the top of the group on four points after beating New Zealand 3-1 in Vancouver on Sunday and now need only a draw against Iran in Seattle on Friday to advance to the last 32.

Iran have been based in Tijuana, Mexico, after relocating from Tucson, Arizona, because of US visa and security restrictions linked to the recent conflict in West Asia. The team has had to enter the United States shortly before matches and return to Tijuana immediately afterwards, creating a schedule unlike that faced by other teams in the tournament.

Travel and visa hurdles

Iran’s football federation moved the squad to Tijuana after US authorities raised security concerns and imposed visa limits. Club Tijuana opened its facilities to the side and the team received support from local residents, with fans attending open training sessions.

But the arrangements have required repeated cross-border travel. Captain Mehdi Taremi had said after the opening draw with New Zealand that a 127-mile charter journey from Tijuana to Los Angeles took five hours because of security and immigration procedures. Some members of Iran’s delegation, including up to 15 staff members, were denied US visas, while player Mehdi Torabi had to visit the US consulate in Tijuana to obtain a new visa during the competition.

Iranian supporters also reportedly lost access to ticket allocations, adding to the sense of isolation around the team during the tournament.

Coach and federation raise concerns

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei complained after the New Zealand match that the team had been told to leave immediately rather than remain overnight for recovery.

“After the game today, they said to us, ‘You have to leave immediately.’ It’s very important for us to have time for recovery … we are really troubled by that,” he said.

He later described Iran as "the most oppressed team in the whole World Cup"

Iran’s federation has said it plans to submit a formal complaint to FIFA, arguing that the restrictions affect competitive fairness. One official said, "We don’t have that support and I think FIFA [has] to help us more than this."

While FIFA has said it is committed to fairness and has reportedly stepped in on some issues, it has not overturned US security decisions or moved matches as requested by Iran.

US position and on-field response

The US government has defended the measures as necessary security protocols amid continuing tensions, although an interim peace framework with Iran is advancing. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, said Iran had been told in advance about the rule allowing entry only the day before matches and said the Tijuana base reduced travel compared with a more distant camp. Officials have also said discussions are continuing over later fixtures, including the game against Egypt in Seattle.

On the field, Iran have remained competitive. Against Belgium, who fielded players including Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois, goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand made a number of important saves to secure a point. The earlier draw against New Zealand had already shown the side’s ability to respond under pressure, and the two results have kept qualification within reach heading into the final group match.