Iran’s soccer federation has reportedly been stripped of its allocation of World Cup tickets, days before the competition is about to begin, which could affect the plans of lots of of fans who were set to attend group-stage matches, in accordance with media reports by The Associated Press, Reuters and The Latest York Times.
Under FIFA regulations, participating teams are allocated eight per cent of the available tickets for his or her federation’s matches to be sold or distributed to fans.
Based on The Associated Press, most allocations went on sale after the group attract December, when Iranians had already been subject to a U.S. government travel ban for five months.
With lower than every week to go before Iran opens its World Cup bid on June 15 on the 70,000-seat Los Angeles Rams’ stadium in Inglewood, Calif., against Latest Zealand, those tickets may now not be guaranteed, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran claimed in a press release obtained by the AP and Reuters.
Get breaking National news
Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox because it happens so you will not miss a trending story.
“Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an motion contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality amongst participating countries,” it said.
The federation’s claims come amid heightened tensions between Iran, the U.S., and Israel after the latter launched co-ordinated airstrikes on Iran in late February, all of that are currently adhering to a fragile ceasefire brokered during diplomatic negotiations. Nevertheless, Israeli-led attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon on Sunday and targeted strikes on U.S. and allied Gulf military bases threaten the truce.
First responders inspect a residential constructing hit in a U.S.-Israeli strike in Tehran, on March 27, 2026.
AP Photo/Vahid Salemi
FIFA is the only body accountable for ticket allocation on the World Cup. The Iranian football federation suggested that “america has now taken steps to obstruct the presence of Iranian supporters on the stadiums,” its statement continued.
“This incident raises serious questions on the influence of non-sporting and political considerations on the organization of the world’s biggest football event,” the Iranian soccer federation claimed.
FIFA said in a press release Tuesday it’s “working closely with the IR Iran Football Federation to discover compliant solutions that maximize opportunities for Iranian supporters to attend matches.”
Its president, Gianni Infantino, and secretary general, Mattias Grafström, each promised logistical support in face-to-face meetings with Iranian soccer officials in Turkey in recent weeks.
Most of Iran’s 26-man squad has not played a competitive match for the reason that country’s skilled league shut down in February when the war began. The team’s World Cup training ground, initially set to be in Tucson, Ariz., was subsequently moved to Tijuana, Mexico.
The 2026 World Cup will mark the federation’s seventh appearance on the competition.
It’s unclear what number of tickets from Iran’s allocation have been sold.
If Iranian tickets are revoked, FIFA would have days to sell about 5,600 tickets for the Iran-Latest Zealand game on Monday, though Los Angeles has the biggest Iranian community within the U.S.
Reports of ticket revocations for Iranian fans got here on the identical day that a top Somali referee, set to interrupt records as the primary from that country to officiate on the World Cup, was denied entry to the U.S.
Omar Artan was announced as a referee two months ago. He’s one among Africa’s top officials and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.
He was barred from entering at Miami International Airport on Saturday over “vetting concerns,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a press release without giving details of those concerns.
— with files from The Associated Press
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.