Iran claims World Cup fans’ tickets in the US revoked
Visa bans and revoked tickets leave Iran’s World Cup supporters in limbo
IFA has reportedly revoked Iran’s ticket allocation for the team’s three World Cup games in the United States, the Iranian national soccer federation claimed Tuesday.
Each of the 48 participating federations is entitled to distribute 8% of stadium capacity for its games, amounting to several thousand tickets per match.
Just days before Iran opens its tournament on June 15 at the Los Angeles Rams’ stadium in Inglewood against New Zealand, the federation said it could no longer provide tickets to its supporters. FIFA was approached for comment.
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Growing tensions amid broader conflict
The claim comes amid ongoing turmoil between Iranian soccer, FIFA, and the US, which began military operations against Iran on February 28.
Iran’s team is now based in Tijuana, Mexico, instead of its original plan to train in Tucson, Arizona. Several federation officials have reportedly been denied visas to enter the US, where Iran will also play Belgium on June 21 in Inglewood and Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
Impact on fans and ticket sales
World Cup federations typically sell their ticket allocations to loyal fans who attend games at home and abroad.
Due to a U.S. travel ban affecting Iranian residents, it was unlikely that many could obtain entry visas for the tournament. It remains unclear how many tickets had been sold to Iran’s diaspora, including supporters in the U.S., since the tournament draw in December.
FIFA stance on fan access
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has previously stressed that all teams and their supporters must have access to host countries for World Cup tournaments.
“It’s obvious when it comes to FIFA competitions as well… 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 in 2017.
Visa issues affect officials
A FIFA-appointed match referee from Somalia was denied entry to the US over the weekend, ruling him out of participating in the 104-game tournament that starts Thursday.
Bottom line: Iran’s claims add to the growing tension around the World Cup in the US, as both fans and officials face challenges due to visa restrictions and broader geopolitical conflict.
