Iran Says World Cup Tickets Withdrawn Days Before Tournament

Iran’s football federation has said that its ticket allocation for the FIFA World Cup has been pulled just days before the tournament is set to start.

The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) said it had already begun the process of selling tickets, but could on longer sell any to fans ahead of Iran’s first match against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15.

“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,” ​the FFIRI said.

“Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an ​action contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries.

“This development raises serious questions about the interference of non-sporting and political considerations in the organization of the world’s biggest football event.”

The Iranian football team is also set to play against Belgium on June 21 and Egypt on June 26.

This is a breaking story. More to follow.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 5:38 AM.