The Iranian Football Federation has announced that its ticket allocation for the FIFA World Cup has been withdrawn, only days before the tournament is scheduled to kick off.
In a statement, the governing body claimed that the ticket quota, which had been sold through its official website, was pulled. Iran accused the United States, as a co-host of the event, of obstructing Iranian supporters from attending matches amid an ongoing diplomatic rift.
Under standard FIFA rules, each participating federation receives eight percent of the ticket capacity for matches involving its national team, allowing fans from that country to purchase seats through official channels. The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran had begun selling tickets for the team’s group matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt via its website.
“However, in an unexpected move, the allocation granted to the Iranian Football Federation has been withdrawn, and under the current circumstances, the federation is unable to provide even a single ticket to supporters of the national team,” the federation said.
Many Iranian fans had made travel plans based on the expectation of purchasing tickets through that process. While alternative methods of obtaining tickets still exist, the move will almost certainly reduce the number of Iranian supporters present at matches.
The federation described the decision as “contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries.” It also called on FIFA and tournament organisers “to uphold the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations, to provide the necessary conditions for Iranian supporters.”
Neither FIFA nor US organisers have publicly responded to Iran’s accusation. This complaint is the latest in a series of disputes surrounding Iran’s involvement in the World Cup. Tehran has previously reported visa problems that have prevented roughly 15 administrative and management staff from entering the United States.
Rising tensions also led Iran to relocate its World Cup training base to Tijuana, a Mexican border city, instead of Tucson, Arizona, as originally planned. Iran opens its campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, followed by a match against Belgium in the same city on June 21, and then faces Egypt in Seattle on June 26.