The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday it’s easing travel restrictions on Iran’s World Cup team, allowing the squad to enter the country two days before its next match — a shift from the tighter limits the government had previously imposed.
DHS didn’t detail what the earlier restrictions required or how the new timeline was negotiated. The announcement came Tuesday, June 24, with Iran’s next match on the horizon.
Iran is one of 48 nations competing in the 2026 World Cup, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Games inside U.S. borders have put the federal government in the unusual position of controlling entry for a national team from a country the U.S. doesn’t maintain diplomatic relations with.
What specific conditions, if any, DHS attached to the revised travel window hasn’t been spelled out publicly.
