Just days before the World Cup kicks off, Fifa has been forced to intervene after Iran’s group-stage ticket allocation was revoked — a move the National Iranian American Council called “petty and vindictive”.
The tournament, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, begins on Thursday, with Iran scheduled to play New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, both in Los Angeles, before facing Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
“Iran's World Cup tickets revoked days before tournament after US sanctions block purchases, sparking anger”
Under Fifa regulations, each federation receives 8% of tickets for their matches to distribute to fans. The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said it had already begun selling tickets but can no longer provide them — leaving supporters who had made travel arrangements in limbo.
The revocation stems from American regulatory requirements, including Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) restrictions, which limit the ability of US-based entities to process certain transactions with Iran. The OFAC enforces trade sanctions and has effectively blocked Iran from buying tickets. If no resolution is found, the allocation will go back on general sale.
The FFIRI issued a statement questioning US governmental interference. “Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an action contrary to the spirit of governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries,” it said. “This development raises serious questions about the interference of non-sporting and political considerations in the organisation of the world’s biggest football event.” The federation called on Fifa “to uphold the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations”.
Iran’s involvement in the tournament has been plagued by uncertainty. On 25 May, the team moved their training base from Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, claiming the US were unwilling to host them. Under visa conditions, they must fly in and out of the United States on matchday for each group game. Less than a fortnight later, on 6 June, they accused the US of denying visas to 15 “integral” members of the national team’s backroom staff.
Fifa said it is working to “maximise opportunities for Iranian supporters to attend matches”. Whether that will be enough to salvage the tickets — or prevent further escalation — remains unclear.