Iran Says World Cup Fan Ticket Allocation Has Been Revoked

Iran’s Football Federation has announced that its allocation of supporter tickets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage has been withdrawn just days before the tournament begins.

According to the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI), FIFA regulations entitle each participating nation to receive eight percent of tickets for its matches to distribute among supporters. The federation said it had already started selling tickets before being informed that it could no longer provide them to fans.

The decision has left many Iranian supporters affected, with some having already made travel and accommodation arrangements for the tournament.

In a statement, the FFIRI described the move as unfair and inconsistent with the principles of international sporting competitions.

“Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is contrary to the spirit of international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries,” the federation stated.

The governing body also raised concerns about what it described as the influence of political considerations on the organisation of the tournament and called on FIFA to uphold neutrality, fairness, and its established regulations.

Iran will compete in Group Stage matches against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles before facing Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

The development adds to a series of challenges surrounding Iran’s participation in the World Cup amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and security concerns linked to conflicts in the Middle East.

Last month, Iran relocated its World Cup training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico, citing difficulties with hosting arrangements in the United States.

Under the conditions of their travel arrangements, the Iranian team is expected to fly into the United States for each match before returning to its base in Mexico.

Iran are appearing at the FIFA World Cup for the seventh time after successfully qualifying through the Asian Football Confederation qualifying campaign.