The Egyptian Football Association has confirmed that the national team was denied entry into Seattle on Monday, June 23, 2026, hours after securing a historic 3-1 victory over New Zealand at the FIFA World Cup. The Pharaohs were forced to return to their original training base in Spokane ahead of their final group stage match against Iran.
Historic Victory and Travel Disruption
Egypt made history by winning their first-ever match at the FIFA World Cup, a 3-1 triumph over New Zealand at BC Place in Vancouver. The victory secured their qualification for the Round of 32, 92 years and 25 days after their tournament debut. Goals from Mostafa Ziko, Mohamed Salah, and Trezeguet overturned an early lead by Finn Surman, who had put the Kiwis ahead in the 13th minute.
Following the important victory, the North African side submitted a request to remain in Seattle to continue their preparations and avoid unnecessary travel ahead of their next fixture. However, the request was denied by security authorities.
Coach Hassan Explains Denial
According to Al Jazeera, Egypt's coach Hossam Hassan explained the situation: "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."
Group H Standings and Iran's Situation
The disruption comes as Egypt continues its push for a place in the knockout stage after a strong start to their World Cup campaign. The Pharaohs are currently topping Group H with four points, ahead of Iran and Belgium. Meanwhile, Iran is based in Tijuana, Mexico, despite all of their World Cup matches being played in the United States. The team originally planned to establish their base in Arizona but relocated to the Mexican border city after tensions increased between Iran and the World Cup hosts. As a result, Iran has been forced to make long journeys to Los Angeles on match days before immediately returning to their base after games.
US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mulling claimed that an individual with alleged links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attempted to board Iran's flight to Los Angeles, according to ESPN.
Mohamed Salah Reacts to Win
Legit.ng previously reported that Mohamed Salah reacted after leading Egypt to their first-ever win at the FIFA World Cup against New Zealand. The Egyptian national team captain was delighted with the history and urged his teammates to rally for more history by reaching the knockout stage.
