Iran’s football federation has accused the United States of blocking its supporters from attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup by withdrawing the country’s ticket allocation for group-stage matches.
The federation made the claim in a statement on Tuesday. It said the decision adds to concerns about visa restrictions affecting members of Iran’s World Cup delegation.
“We have less than three days before the start of the 2026 World Cup, and the United States has once again prevented Iranian supporters from attending our group-stage matches,” the federation said.
Iran’s football federation said FIFA rules give each participating country an eight percent allocation of match tickets.
According to the federation, it had already started selling tickets for Iran’s group matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt.
The federation said organisers later withdrew the allocation without warning.
“As things stand, the federation cannot provide a single ticket to supporters of the national team,” the statement said.
Iran argued that the decision goes against the principles of fairness and equal treatment in international sport.
The federation has called on FIFA and World Cup organisers to address the issue.
Iran wants organisers to restore the ticket allocation and allow its supporters to attend matches during the tournament.
Neither FIFA nor US organisers had publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.
The ticket dispute comes after Iran raised concerns about visa delays affecting some members of its delegation.
Despite the controversy, Iran is preparing for its opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.
The team will then face Belgium and Egypt in its remaining group-stage fixtures as it seeks to progress to the knockout rounds.
