Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) announced that FIFA has revoked its ticket allocation for the World Cup group stage just three days before the tournament’s start, which is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The FFIRI stated that FIFA regulations allocate 8% of ticket capacity for each match to participating federations, allowing fans to purchase tickets officially. Initially, FFIRI began selling tickets for Iran’s matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt but later found its quota withdrawn, preventing any ticket sales through its website.
The federation criticized the United States for hindering Iranian supporters’ presence at the stadiums hosting Iran’s group stage matches. FFIRI expressed disappointment over the denial of Iranian fans’ access to their allocated tickets, considering it against the principles of international competitions and equality among participating nations. The federation raised concerns about potential non-sporting and political influences on the organization of the prestigious football event.
Iran’s national team has already arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, in preparation for their upcoming matches in the US.
