The Iranian Football Federation has publicly lashed out at the United States, claiming that American officials have revoked the country’s allocated ticket quota for the upcoming 2026 World Cup group stage matches. According to the federation, this decision leaves them unable to provide a single ticket to their supporters, effectively obstructing Iranian fans from attending games against New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. The federation argues that this move directly violates FIFA’s standard regulations, which mandate that participating nations receive eight percent of the tickets for their matches to distribute among their own fans.

This incident marks another layer of friction in the already strained relationship between the two nations, following recent disputes over visa denials for Iranian support staff and the subsequent relocation of Iran’s training camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. Iranian officials have condemned the ticket revocation as a blatant disregard for the spirit of international sportsmanship and fair play. As the tournament draws near, they are now calling on FIFA and tournament organizers to intervene and restore neutrality to the competition, though neither body has yet provided an official response to the allegations.