Overview
- The Department of Homeland Security has allowed the Iranian delegation to enter the United States two days before their World Cup match in Seattle, easing earlier tighter rules that limited arrivals to 24 hours before kickoff.
- DHS kept the requirement that Iran must leave the United States promptly after the Seattle match, and the team continues to use a basecamp in Tijuana rather than remaining on U.S. soil.
- Seattle has designated the fixture a Pride Game and plans visible Pride programming around the stadium, a move that Iran and Egypt say conflicts with FIFA's political‑neutrality rules.
- Both the Iranian Football Federation and the Egyptian Football Association have filed formal complaints with FIFA seeking restrictions on rainbow flags inside the stadium and arguing the travel rules reflect unequal treatment.
- The dispute ties U.S. security and visa controls to questions about tournament neutrality and could force FIFA to rule on how local hosting decisions interact with federations' objections, with direct effects on team preparation and delegation movement.