The Egyptian Football Association has confirmed that their World Cup squad was denied permission to fly to Seattle following their 3-1 victory over New Zealand. Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt in what was the nation's first-ever World Cup win, but post-match travel plans were disrupted by local security officials.
Security Refusal Forces Return to Spokane
After the match, the Egyptian team requested to remain in Seattle to prepare for their upcoming Group G clash against Iran on June 27. However, security authorities refused the request, leaving the squad with no choice but to return to their tournament base in Spokane, Washington. The Egyptian FA released a statement detailing the disruption.
Egypt boss Hossam Hossan said: "The security authorities refused the team's request to stay in the city of Seattle as planned after the New Zealand match in the World Cup, and therefore the team's delegation will return to the city of Spokane. The team had wanted to travel directly to Seattle to preserve the players from travel fatigue due to the numerous trips in preparation for the Iran match on June 26, but following the security stance, the Egypt national team delegation will return to Spokane."
Travel Fatigue Concerns
The original plan was to eliminate unnecessary journeys and allow players ample time to prepare for the crucial match against Iran. Instead, Egypt will resume training in Spokane before arranging alternative travel to Kansas. This adds to the travel challenges already faced by teams in the tournament.
Iran, Egypt's next opponent, has also experienced travel disruptions. Based in Tijuana, Mexico, despite all their fixtures being in the USA, Iran initially planned to set up camp in Arizona but switched to the Mexican border city due to tensions with the World Cup hosts. They have had to travel to Los Angeles for matches against New Zealand and Belgium, returning to Tijuana immediately after games.
Iran's Allegations of Sabotage
Prior to Iran's match against Belgium, US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mulling alleged that an individual with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to board their flight to LA. Iran dismissed this as "lies" and claimed it was an attempt to sabotage their tournament. Iran's head coach Amir Ghalenoei has been vocal, describing his team as "the most oppressed" in the competition.
Despite these issues, Iran has performed well, securing draws against New Zealand and Belgium. They currently sit second in Group G, and a victory over Egypt would secure their first-ever place in the knockout rounds.
