New Crisis Before World Cup: US Bars Iranian Fans from Attending Matches
The Iranian Football Federation has accused the United States, host nation of the 2026 World Cup, of withdrawing the quota of tickets allocated to its fans for the national team's first-round matches. The federation described the move as "a violation of the principle of equal opportunities in international tournaments."
In an official statement, the Iranian Federation explained that the system approved by FIFA grants each national team approximately 8% of stadium capacity for its matches, to be distributed to its fans through official channels. The federation noted that it had already begun selling tickets for Iran's matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt before being surprised by the withdrawal of this allocation.
The federation stated that this decision has deprived Iranian fans of any possibility of obtaining tickets, despite many having already booked their travel and made plans to attend the national team's matches in the United States.
In response, neither FIFA nor the organizing committee in the United States has issued any official comment regarding these accusations to date, intensifying the controversy just days before the tournament's kickoff.
These developments occur amidst escalating political tensions between Tehran and Washington, which have impacted the Iranian national team's arrangements for the tournament, including visas and accommodation. The team was forced to relocate its training camp to Tijuana, Mexico, instead of the United States.
This issue is expected to spark discussions within FIFA regarding the extent to which host nations adhere to the principle of neutrality and ensure balanced fan attendance for all participating teams in the global event.
