Iran Faces Ticket Distribution Issue for 2026 World Cup Over U.S. Measures

The Iranian soccer federation announced a significant issue just days before the 2026 World Cup, as it lost the ability to issue tickets for the tournament. This situation affects hundreds of fans who had already planned to attend the matches.

According to FIFA regulations, participating federations receive 8% of the tickets for their team’s matches, which they then sell or distribute to fans. The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran described the ticket allocation loss as unexpected.

“As a result, the federation is currently unable to provide even a single ticket to supporters of the national team,” stated the federation. Some tickets had been sold through their website.

Iran’s soccer federation did not specify which entity revoked their ticket distribution ability but attributed the situation to the United States. The U.S., along with Mexico and Canada, is hosting the World Cup starting Thursday.

The federation expressed regret over actions by the host country, which they claim obstruct the attendance of Iranian supporters. Despite requests, the Iranian soccer federation did not comment further. It called on FIFA to maintain neutrality and fairness, urging them to allow Iranian fans access to the event.

Though many World Cup tickets are sold through lotteries, those distributed by federations often go to dedicated fans. Neither FIFA nor the U.S. Soccer Federation provided comments.

Iran’s participation was uncertain after the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in February. The team and officials awaited visas to play in the U.S., which were issued last week except for more than a dozen support staff members. American special envoy Paolo Zampolli stated the U.S.’s entry limitations aimed to protect the homeland.

Iran initially planned to be based in Tucson, Arizona, but relocated to Tijuana, Mexico near the U.S. border. Federation president Mehdi Taj mentioned the relocation aimed to reduce time spent in the U.S.

Iran will play three games on the West Coast, facing New Zealand in Los Angeles on Monday, Belgium on June 21 in the same city, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.