Iran’s football federation says its allocation of tickets for fans to attend the World Cup group fixtures has been withdrawn just days ahead of the start of the tournament.
Following tensions during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Iran moved its squad training base from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico, while the federation also said some members of backroom staff had been denied entry into the United States.
The team, who have themselves been given strict visa conditions, are set to fly in and out of the US for each of their three Group G games, against New Zealand and Belgium – both held in Los Angeles – and Egypt in Seattle.
Under FIFA guidelines, each participating federation receives eight per cent of tickets for each of the games to be available for its own supporters.
The Football Federation Islamic Republic Iran (FFIRI) said in a widely-reported statement that tickets sales to supporters for those fixtures were now no longer able to be fulfilled – throwing into doubt travel arrangements for fans who had been expected to watch the team.
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“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 FFIRI said.
“This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches.
“Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an action contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries.
“This development raises serious questions about the interference of non-sporting and political considerations in the organisation of the world’s biggest football event.”
FIFA has been contacted for comment.
