Photo: ONER SAN / AFP / Getty Images
Iran's soccer federation announced that its ticket allocation for the upcoming World Cup has been revoked just days before the tournament begins. The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) stated that they had already started selling tickets to fans for Iran's group stage matches against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt, all to be held in the United States. However, the allocation was unexpectedly withdrawn, leaving many Iranian supporters unable to attend.
According to the FFIRI, each participating soccer federation receives 8% of the tickets for each match to distribute to their fans. The Iranian federation did not specify who made the decision to revoke the tickets but urged FIFA to adhere to "the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations." The federation expressed concern that non-sporting and political considerations might be influencing the organization of the World Cup.
The situation is further complicated by ongoing tensions between Iran and the United States. The U.S. recently launched air strikes on Iran, triggering regional conflict. This has led to visa issues for some of Iran's support staff, prompting the team to move their training base from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana, Mexico. Although the U.S. granted visas to the players, some staff members were not issued visas.
FIFA has not yet commented on the ticket allocation issue. However, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom held a "positive discussion" with FFIRI President Mehdi Taj after the team arrived in Mexico. Grafstrom stated that FIFA would continue to collaborate with the FFIRI to ensure a positive experience for the team and delegation.
Iran's first World Cup match is scheduled against New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday (June 15), followed by a match against Belgium on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.