Iran’s football federation on Tuesday said the United States has revoked its allocation of tickets for its World Cup group games, accusing the co-host of obstructing the attendance of Iranian supporters under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row.
The US has presented a number of bureaucratic hurdles for Iran at the global football spectacle, including refusing to issue visas for some of its support staff, as the two countries remain at war after the US and Israel attacked the country in late February.
“With less than three days remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup… the United States has once again acted to obstruct the presence of Iranian supporters at the stadiums hosting the national team’s three group stage matches,” the federation said in a statement.
The Iranian football body said FIFA regulations dictate that it should be allocated eight percent of tickets for each match, which are given to participating federations for distribution to their supporters through official channels.
According to the statement, Iran had already begun ticket sales for group stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt — all to be held in the US — after receiving its quota, with some fans having already made necessary arrangements.
“However, in an unexpected move, the allocation granted to the Iranian Football Federation has been withdrawn, and under the current circumstances, the federation is unable to provide even a single ticket to supporters of the national team,” it said.
The federation described the move as “contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries”.
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It also called on FIFA and tournament organisers “to uphold the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations, to provide the necessary conditions for Iranian supporters”.
Neither FIFA nor US organisers have publicly commented on the Iranian accusation.
The complaint is the latest dispute regarding Iran’s participation in the World Cup, following visa issues that Tehran says have prevented some 15 administrative and management staff in its delegation from entering the United States.
Rising tensions also prompted Iran to announce that it was moving its World Cup training base to the Mexican border city of Tijuana rather than Tuscon, Arizona, as originally planned.
Iran open their campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
AFP