Iran Football Federation Claims World Cup Ticket Allocation Cancelled, Cites 'Political' Motives

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, the Iranian Football Federation announced on June 9 (local time) that the match tickets previously allocated to Iran, which is currently at war with the United States and Israel, have been cancelled.

In a statement, the Iranian Football Federation said, "Although the ticket sales process had already begun, we are no longer able to provide tickets to our fans."

The federation criticized the move, stating, "Many Iranian football fans had already made essential plans to attend the matches, trusting the officially announced procedures." They added, "Depriving Iranian supporters of their right to access legally allocated tickets is a direct violation of the spirit of international competition and the principle of equality among participating nations."

"This situation raises serious questions about whether political considerations have interfered in the organization of the world's largest football event," the federation added.

The federation did not disclose who was responsible for the decision to withhold the tickets.

However, it urged FIFA to "uphold the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations," and called on the governing body to "ensure that issues outside the stadium do not cast a shadow over the tournament."

FIFA has not responded to requests for comment regarding the criticism and demands from the Iranian side.

Since the Middle East conflict was triggered by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran last February, the participation of the Iranian team in the World Cup has been shrouded in uncertainty.

The Iranian Football Federation negotiated to move the team's base camp from Arizona to Mexico due to uncertainties regarding U.S. visa issuance and public opinion calling for minimizing the team's stay in the United States.

After weeks of controversy, the U.S. government issued visas to all players last week, 10 days before the team's first match, though some staff members ultimately failed to receive theirs.

The North American World Cup kicks off on June 11. Iran, placed in Group G, is scheduled to play its first two matches against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, followed by a match against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

(Photo: Reuters, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.