Iran Football Federation accuses United States of revoking World Cup ticket quota

The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) has alleged that the United States revoked the ticket allocation meant for Iranian supporters at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The federation says the decision breaches FIFA’s rule that reserves 8 % of stadium capacity for the participating nations’ federations. The revocation comes just days before the tournament’s opening and follows ongoing diplomatic tensions between Tehran and Washington, including recent visa denials for Iranian officials.

Iran’s national team has moved its training base to Tijuana, Mexico, after several staff members were denied U.S. entry visas. The team will play its group‑stage matches in Los Angeles, Seattle and will face New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt. Neither FIFA nor U.S. authorities have commented on the accusation.

The dispute highlights how broader geopolitical frictions are spilling into the sporting arena ahead of the World Cup, which will be co‑hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.