Fresh controversy has erupted ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Iran’s football federation claimed its official ticket allocation was withdrawn just days before the tournament begins, leaving thousands of supporters uncertain about attending their team’s matches.
The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said many fans had already made travel arrangements based on the approved process before learning that the allocation had allegedly been removed.
This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches,” the federation said in a statement.
However, Sky Sports News correspondent Kaveh Solhekol reported that the issue is more complicated than it appears. According to him, the situation involves political and financial restrictions rather than a straightforward withdrawal of tickets.
Iran is expected to enjoy strong support during the tournament, with around one million Iranians living on the west coast of the United States.
Many supporters have already purchased tickets through FIFA’s official platform, while all of Iran’s group-stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt are scheduled to take place in western US cities.
Participating nations are typically allocated around eight per cent of stadium capacity for their fans.
However, economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control prohibit financial dealings with Iranian government institutions, complicating FIFA’s ability to process transactions related to the allocation.
Despite the challenge, FIFA said efforts are underway to ensure Iranian supporters are not shut out of the tournament.
A FIFA spokesperson said: FIFA is working closely with the IR Iran Football Federation to identify compliant solutions that maximise opportunities for Iranian supporters to attend matches.
Iran’s preparations for the tournament have already been affected by geopolitical tensions. Following the outbreak of war involving the United States, Iran and Israel earlier this year, the team moved its training base to Mexico, while some staff members reportedly encountered difficulties obtaining visas for entry into the US.
The latest development adds to growing concerns over logistical and political challenges surrounding the expanded 48-team tournament, which kicks off this week.
