Iran Says World Cup Ticket Allocation Revoked Before Tournament

Iran’s football federation says tickets allocated to its supporters for the country’s World Cup group-stage matches have been withdrawn less than a week before the tournament begins. The dispute adds to growing concerns over visas, access and participation ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Iran’s football federation said on Tuesday that tickets allocated to Iranian supporters for the country’s group-stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup had been withdrawn less than a week before the tournament begins, escalating a dispute over access and participation at football’s biggest event.

The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said it had already begun distributing tickets for Iran’s matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt before being informed that it could no longer provide tickets through its official allocation. Some supporters had already made travel arrangements, the federation said.

Each participating federation is normally entitled to receive and distribute around 8% of stadium capacity for its matches through official supporter channels. Iranian officials said the withdrawal left the federation unable to provide a single ticket to national team supporters.

In a statement, the federation described the move as contrary to the principles of equality among participating nations and said it raised questions about the role of political considerations in the organisation of the tournament. It called on FIFA to uphold neutrality, fairness and established regulations governing the competition.

FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment reported by multiple international media organisations. Tournament organisers and United States authorities had not publicly commented on the federation’s allegations at the time of publication.

The dispute is the latest in a series of issues affecting Iran’s preparations for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico and is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams.

Iran’s participation has been overshadowed by broader tensions between Tehran and Washington. Iranian officials have previously complained about visa restrictions affecting members of the national delegation, while several support staff were reportedly denied entry to the United States.

Last month, Iran moved its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to the Mexican border city of Tijuana, citing concerns linked to access and travel arrangements. Under the team’s visa arrangements, players and staff are expected to travel into the United States for matches before returning to Mexico.

The controversy comes amid wider scrutiny of access to the tournament. Reports in recent days have highlighted visa difficulties involving Iranian officials and other participants travelling to World Cup-related events in North America.

The issue has also revived attention on earlier comments by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who said during preparations for the North American World Cup bid that qualified teams, officials and supporters must be able to access host countries in order for the competition to function properly.

Iran are scheduled to begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June before facing Belgium on 21 June and Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.

Why This Matters

Iran says supporters can no longer access tickets through the federation’s official allocation.
The dispute comes days before the start of the World Cup.
Questions about visas, supporter access and tournament governance are becoming an early issue for organisers.
FIFA has not publicly responded to the allegations.
The controversy highlights the challenge of staging a global sporting event amid wider geopolitical tensions.