Iran’s football federation has claimed that its ticket allocation for the World Cup has been pulled just days before the tournament kicks off, leaving supporters who had already made travel arrangements unable to attend their team’s matches.
The World Cup gets underway on Thursday, with Iran due to play their first two Group G games in Los Angeles, against New Zealand on 15 June and Belgium on 21 June, before facing Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
The Iranian federation said it had already begun selling tickets to fans before being told it could no longer provide them. It added that many supporters had already made plans to travel to the matches based on the officially announced process.
In a strongly worded statement, the federation described the move as contrary to the spirit of international competition and the principle of equality among participating nations, and raised concerns about political interference in the world’s biggest football tournament. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The federation stopped short of naming who had made the decision but called on FIFA to uphold the principles of fairness and neutrality and to ensure off-field matters do not overshadow the tournament.
Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been surrounded by uncertainty ever since the United States and Israel launched air strikes on the country in late February, sparking a wider regional conflict. The team’s base camp was moved from Arizona to Mexico amid concerns over visa issues and a growing feeling in Iran that the squad’s time on American soil should be kept to a minimum.
After weeks of doubt, the US granted visas to all the players last week, just ten days before their opening match, though several members of the backroom staff were not given them.
FIFA said earlier on Tuesday that its Secretary General had held a positive conversation with the Iranian federation president following the team’s arrival in Mexico, and pledged to continue working with the federation to ensure a positive experience for the squad and their delegation.
