Iran Says World Cup Ticket Allocation Revoked, Raises Concerns Over Political Interference

Iran’s football federation said on Tuesday that its allocation of World Cup tickets had been withdrawn just days before the tournament begins, leaving supporters who had already arranged travel unable to attend the team’s matches.

The World Cup kicks off on Thursday, with Iran set to open its Group G campaign in Los Angeles against New Zealand on June 15, followed by Belgium on June 21, before taking on Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

In a statement, the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said it had already initiated the ticket distribution process but was no longer able to provide tickets to fans.

"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," the federation said.

"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 organization of the world's biggest football event."

Under World Cup rules, each participating federation receives 8% of match tickets to distribute among supporters according to its own criteria.

The FFIRI did not specify who had decided to withhold the tickets but urged FIFA to uphold "the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations" and prevent off-field disputes from overshadowing the competition.

Iran’s participation in the World Cup has faced uncertainty since U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran in late February triggered wider regional tensions.

Amid concerns over travel approvals and domestic pressure to limit the team’s presence in the United States, the FFIRI negotiated to move Iran’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico.

After weeks of uncertainty, U.S. authorities issued visas to all players last week — just 10 days before Iran’s opening match — though several members of the support staff were not granted visas.

A U.S. official told Reuters on Friday that the administration had issued "the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup".

FIFA said earlier on Tuesday that Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom had held a "positive discussion" with FFIRI President Mehdi Taj after the team arrived at its tournament base.

“With the team now in Mexico, FIFA will continue dialogue and collaboration with the FFIRI to ensure the team and the delegation’s experience is a positive one," Grafstrom said in a statement.

(Reuters report)