Iran supporters and fans who had made travel plans may not get to attend their team’s World Cup matches. Iran’s football federation said its ticket allocation has been pulled just before the tournament kicks off.
The World Cup begins on Thursday, with Iran playing their first two games in Group G in Los Angeles, against New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, followed by a game against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said it had already started selling tickets for Iran’s World Cup matches but was later informed that it could no longer distribute them to fans.
The federation expressed disappointment, saying many Iranian supporters had already made travel and accommodation plans based on the official ticketing process.
In a statement, the FFIRI said denying Iranian fans access to their allocated tickets goes against the spirit of international sport and the principle of equal treatment for all participating nations.
The federation also raised concerns that political factors may be influencing decisions related to the tournament, saying such actions create doubts about whether football is being kept separate from politics.
Under FIFA rules, every participating nation receives 8% of the tickets for its matches, which can be distributed to fans according to the federation’s own guidelines.
Although the FFIRI did not say who was responsible for withholding the tickets, it urged FIFA to uphold fairness, neutrality and its own regulations. The federation also called on football’s governing body to ensure off-field issues do not affect the World Cup.
FIFA told Reuters that it is working closely with the Iranian federation to find solutions that will allow as many Iranian fans as possible to attend matches.
Iran’s preparations for the World Cup have been complicated by geopolitical tensions since the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran in late February, leading to a wider regional conflict.
Because of uncertainty over U.S. visa approvals, the Iranian federation moved the team’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico. There was also a growing view within Iran that the team’s stay in the United States should be kept to a minimum.
After weeks of uncertainty, all Iranian players were granted U.S. visas last week, just 10 days before their opening match. However, some members of the support staff were not issued visas.
A U.S. official told Reuters that the government had provided all visas required for Iran to take part in the World Cup.
Earlier on Tuesday, FIFA said secretary general Mattias Grafstrom had a positive meeting with FFIRI president Mehdi Taj after the team arrived at its tournament base in Mexico.
Grafstrom added that FIFA would continue working closely with the Iranian federation to ensure the team and its delegation have a smooth and positive experience during the tournament.
