Iran's football federation said the US has removed the ticket quota allocated to Iranian fans for the World Cup, leaving the federation unable to distribute tickets through its official system.
The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran said Tuesday that FIFA regulations and standard procedures allocate 8% of ticket capacity for each match to the federations taking part in the World Cup. This system allows fans from each country to purchase tickets through an official mechanism coordinated with their national federations, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.
The federation had already begun selling tickets via its official website for Iran’s matches against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt after receiving its allocated quota, Tasnim added.
The federation said the quota allocated to the Iranian federation was later removed, making it impossible under current conditions to provide even a single ticket to the national team's fans through official channels.
Many Iranian football fans had already made plans to attend the tournament based on the previously announced official process, Tasnim reported.
Depriving Iranian fans of access to the legal and official ticket quota runs counter to the spirit of international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries, the report said.
The move raises serious questions about whether non-sporting and political considerations have affected the organization of the world’s biggest football event, it added.
Iranian football fans have long been among the national team’s most important sources of support in international competitions, all while respecting rules and professional principles, the report said.
Their legal rights should be respected equally with those of fans from other countries, it added.
FIFA and tournament organizers should uphold impartiality, justice and approved regulations by ensuring Iranian fans can exercise their legal rights, the report said.
It added that issues outside football should not be allowed to overshadow the World Cup.
Tensions escalated on Sunday when Israel bombed Beirut despite an ongoing ceasefire, prompting Iran to launch missiles at northern Israel in retaliation, with Israel responding with several waves of airstrikes against Iran.
Iran’s military said early Monday it had halted attacks on Israel while warning of a “crushing” response if Israeli strikes on Lebanon continued.
The region has remained on edge since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, triggering Iranian retaliation against Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.
A temporary ceasefire was reached on April 8, but negotiations later stalled amid disputes over its implementation and subsequent regional developments.
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