On Tuesday, the Iranian Football Federation announced that the United States has rescinded its ticket allocation for Iran’s matches during the upcoming 2026 World Cup group stage. The federation accused the US, one of the tournament’s co-hosts, of deliberately blocking Iranian fans from attending the games amid ongoing diplomatic tensions.
These difficulties come as part of a broader pattern of obstacles placed by the US against Iran’s participation in the global event. Among these challenges, the US has reportedly denied visas to several Iranian support staff members, exacerbating strained relations between the two countries following the February attacks by the US and Israel on Iranian territory.
“With less than three days remaining until the start of the 2026 World Cup,” the Iranian Football Federation stated, “the United States has once again acted to obstruct the presence of Iranian supporters at the stadiums hosting the national team’s three group stage matches.”
Ticket Allocation and Withdrawal
According to FIFA regulations, each participating national federation is entitled to eight percent of tickets for their matches, which are distributed officially to fans through the respective football bodies. Iran had received this allocation for its group stage games against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt—all scheduled to take place in the United States.
Following the initial distribution, Iran began selling tickets to supporters, with many fans already making travel and attendance arrangements. However, the federation revealed that, unexpectedly, their ticket quota was revoked, leaving Iranian fans unable to access the tickets previously promised.
The Iranian Football Federation’s statement highlights the sudden and unexplained withdrawal as a continuation of the obstacles created by the US, effectively barring many Iranian supporters from attending crucial matches on home soil during the World Cup.