Iran football federation says US revoked World Cup fan tickets

Iran's Football Federation (FFIRI) alleges that the United States, a co‑host of the 2026 World Cup, withdrew its FIFA‑mandated allocation of 8 % of tickets for Iranian supporters ahead of the national team's three group‑stage matches in the United States. The federation said the revocation came less than three days before the tournament’s start and called it “obstructing the presence of Iranian supporters” and “contrary to the spirit of international competition and the principle of equality among participating nations.”

Iran had already begun selling its ticket allotment for the games against New Zealand (June 15, Inglewood, Los Angeles), Belgium (June 21, Inglewood) and Egypt (June 26, Seattle) and many fans had made travel arrangements. In addition to the ticket issue, the United States has denied visas to about fifteen members of Iran’s delegation, prompting the team to relocate its training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. The federation appealed to FIFA to uphold fairness and neutrality, while neither FIFA nor US organizers have commented publicly.

The dispute unfolds amid broader diplomatic tensions between Iran and the United States following recent military actions in the region.