The Iran soccer federation (FFIRI) says it intends to lodge an official complaint with FIFA regarding its World Cup travel arrangements between its base camp in Mexico and games in the United States.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a statement, the FFIRI accused FIFA of having an \u201cinconsistent\u201d approach to providing \u201cequal conditions for all participating teams,\u201d before their second game in Group G game in Los Angeles against Belgium on June 21.<\/p>\n
In order to achieve optimum preparation for matches, \u201cthe team needed to arrive in each city two days before every match and return to its base camp the day after,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The FFIRI said that request wasn\u2019t granted ahead of its opening match against New Zealand, which Iran drew 2-2, with players and staff required to return to the team\u2019s Mexico base camp immediately after the final whistle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe same situation has been repeated ahead of Iran\u2019s second match against Belgium,\u201d the statement continued. \u201cAs a result, the national team will only be permitted to travel to Los Angeles one day before the match.<\/p>\n
We traveled to Tijuana to go behind the scenes at Iran’s training camp<\/p>\n
Laurie Whitwell<\/p>\n
\u201cConsequently, the federation will formally express its dissatisfaction and lodge an official complaint with FIFA.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Athletic\u00a0has contacted FIFA for comment.<\/p>\n
Iran are based in Tijuana, Mexico, for the tournament after announcing the relocation from their planned base in Arizona on May 25<\/a>. That followed the ongoing military conflict between the U.S. and Iran which began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched joint military strikes, triggering retaliatory action from Iran.<\/p>\n All three of Iran\u2019s group games are based in the U.S., playing their first two in Los Angeles and their third in Seattle. No matter where they finish in Group G, they will play in either the U.S. or Canada should they progress to the knockout stages, and will not play a match in Mexico, given the bracket to the final.\u00a0<\/p>\n