Key facts
- Iran's football federation announced its World Cup ticket allocation has been withdrawn.
- The decision impacts fans who had already made travel plans.
- The federation cited non-sporting and political considerations.
- Each participating federation typically receives 8% of tickets for their matches.
Iran's football federation announced on Tuesday that its ticket allocation for the upcoming World Cup had been withdrawn just days before the tournament's start. This decision leaves supporters who had already made travel plans unable to attend their team's matches.
In a statement, the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation (FFIRI) indicated that it had already commenced ticket sales but could no longer provide tickets to fans. "This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches," FFIRI stated.
The federation raised concerns about "the interference of non-sporting and political considerations in the organisation of the world's biggest football event." Typically, each participating federation receives 8% of the tickets for their matches to distribute to fans. The FFIRI did not specify who made the decision to withhold the tickets but appealed to FIFA to uphold "the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations," urging the organization to prevent external issues from overshadowing the tournament. FIFA had not immediately responded to a request for comment.