Iran condemn FIFA and US after ticket allocation stripped ahead of World Cup 2026

The Iranian Football Federation has condemned what it calls political interference in World Cup 2026 planning after its entire ticket allocation for Iran’s group-stage matches was withdrawn, effectively barring Iranian fans from attending any of the team’s fixtures on US soil.

Iran are placed in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, with all three of their group games scheduled to be played in the United States. Their opening fixture against New Zealand is set for June 16 at Los Angeles Stadium. Under FIFA’s standard regulations, 8% of each match’s ticket capacity is allocated to the participating federation, allowing fans to purchase tickets through an official channel. Iran had already begun selling tickets through its official website when the quota was revoked without warning.

“In an unexpected move, the quota allocated to the Iranian Football Federation has been withdrawn,” the federation’s statement read. “Under the current circumstances, it is not possible to provide even a single ticket to the fans of the national team through the federation. This is despite the fact that many Iranian football enthusiasts had made the necessary plans to attend the tournament venue, trusting in the officially announced process.”

The federation placed blame squarely on the United States, accusing it of attempting to “sabotage” the presence of Iranian supporters. “Depriving Iranian fans of access to the legal and official quota of allocated tickets is contrary to the spirit of international competitions and the principle of equality between participating countries,” the statement continued, questioning “the interference of non-sporting and political considerations” in the tournament’s organisation.

The ticket withdrawal is the second significant logistical blow to Iran’s World Cup preparations. The team’s training camp was already relocated to Mexico — despite all their group games being held in the US — owing to the broader conflict in the Middle East.

The Iranian federation described its supporters as “one of the most important spiritual assets of the national team” and framed the allocation withdrawal as a breach of FIFA’s own rules and the founding principles of international sport. It remains unclear whether FIFA will intervene or whether the decision can be reversed before Iran’s opening match on June 16.