Adedokun Waliyu 
Iran’s football federation has accused the United States of withdrawing its allocation of tickets for Iran’s group-stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a move it says has prevented Iranian supporters from attending the games through official channels.
According to the federation, FIFA regulations provide participating national associations with eight percent of tickets for each match, which are then distributed to their supporters.
The federation stated that, with less than three days before the start of the tournament, the United States had taken actions that obstructed the attendance of Iranian fans at the national team’s three group-stage matches.
The dispute comes amid ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States. Iranian officials have also complained about visa restrictions affecting some members of the country’s World Cup delegation.
Iran said it had already begun selling tickets for supporters after receiving its quota and that many fans had made travel arrangements for the matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt.
However, the federation claimed that the ticket allocation was later withdrawn, leaving it unable to provide tickets to supporters through official channels.
Iran described the decision as contrary to the principles of fairness, equality, and the spirit of international sporting competitions. It called on FIFA and tournament organizers to ensure neutrality and equal treatment for all participating nations.
Neither FIFA nor U.S. organizers had publicly responded to the allegations at the time of the report.
The ticket controversy follows earlier disputes over visa approvals. Iranian officials previously stated that around 15 administrative and management staff members had been unable to enter the United States because of visa-related issues.
As tensions increased, Iran also decided to relocate its World Cup training base from Tucson, Arizona, to the Mexican border city of Tijuana.
Iran is scheduled to begin its World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, before facing Belgium in the same city on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
