The Egyptian national team’s request to stay in Seattle before meeting Iran was rejected

Egypt’s first national football team director, Ibrahim Hassan, confirmed that the security authorities in the United States rejected the team’s delegation’s request to reside in the city of Seattle after facing New Zealand, as part of the 2026 World Cup, forcing the team to return again to the city of Spokane in preparation for facing Iran on June 26.

Ibrahim Hassan said, in statements published by the official account of the Egyptian Football Association via the “X” platform, that the technical staff would have preferred to travel directly to Seattle after the end of the New Zealand match, with the aim of reducing the burden of travel and transportation on the players, and giving them a better opportunity to recover and prepare for the next match.

He added that the decision of the security authorities prevented the implementation of this plan, stressing that the team’s delegation will return to the city of Spokane according to the approved arrangements, before traveling again to play the second match against the Iranian team.

The decision comes in light of the suffering of many of the teams participating in the 2026 World Cup from frequent movements between cities and host countries, which sparked criticism from a number of coaches and players during the first round, due to the impact of frequent travel on recovery processes and physical preparation for matches.

The Egyptian national team continues its preparations to face Iran, in a match during which it seeks to continue its positive results and enhance its chances of qualifying for the next round of the tournament.