Iran Criticizes FIFA Over Alleged Ticket Revocation for U.S. World Cup Matches

Each of the 48 teams participating in the tournament is typically allocated eight percent of the stadium’s seating capacity for their games, equating to thousands of tickets that the federations distribute.

However, just days before Iran’s first scheduled match on June 15 against New Zealand at the 70,000-seat stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles, the federation reported via semi-official state media on Tuesday that it can no longer provide tickets to its fans.

This development further complicates the strained relations between Iranian soccer, FIFA, and the US, which began after the US initiated military actions against Iran in February.

The claim adds to the turmoil between Iranian soccer, FIFA and tournament co-host the US, which began military attacks on Iran in February.

FIFA has total authority over ticketing operations at the World Cup, yet the Iranian soccer body suggested ‘the United States has now taken steps to obstruct the presence of Iranian supporters at the stadiums.’

‘This incident raises serious questions about the influence of non-sporting and political considerations on the organization of the world’s biggest football event,’ the Iranian soccer federation said.

Iran claims FIFA has revoked tickets for their supporters at three World Cup games in the US

FIFA, spearheaded by president Gianni Infantino (pictured), is entitled to distribute eight percent of the stadium capacity to each federation in every World Cup game

Visa Issues Disrupt Iran’s World Cup Plans 

Iran’s team is now based in the Mexican border city of Tijuana instead of its pre-war plan to train in Tucson, Arizona. It is the the nation’s seventh appearance at a men’s World Cup.

Some federation officials also have been denied visas to enter the US, where Iran also plays Belgium in Inglewood on June 21 and then Egypt in Seattle on June 26.

Federations of World Cup teams typically sell their ticket allocation to the most loyal fans who attend games at home and away.

‘However, in an unexpected move, the allocation granted to Iran’s football federation has been withdrawn, and under the current circumstances the federation is unable to offer even a single ticket to national team supporters,’ the federation said.

Iran residents were subject to a travel ban by the US government since last year and were unlikely to get entry visas for the World Cup. It was unclear how many tickets in their allocation were sold since the tournament draw was made in December to the country’s diaspora including in the US.

FIFA Faces a Ticketing Dilemma 

If Iranian tickets have been revoked, FIFA would have just days to sell about 5,600 tickets for the Iran-New Zealand game on Monday. The FIFA sales site on Tuesday showed rows of field-level seats available at $450 each though numbered in dozens rather than hundreds.

Still, FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated in 2017 – when US soccer officials were preparing a co-hosting bid with Canada and Mexico they won the following year – that fans must have access to the tournament.

‘It’s obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions as well (that) any team, including the supporters and the officials of that team, who would qualify for a World Cup need to have access to the country, otherwise there is no World Cup,’ Infantino said nine years ago. ‘That is obvious.’