Iran's football federation announced on Tuesday that its ticket allocation for fans at the World Cup has been revoked just days before the tournament begins. The federation claims FIFA revoked the tickets for the team's three group stage games in the United States, leaving supporters who had already made travel plans unable to attend.
Iran is scheduled to play its first two Group G matches in Los Angeles, facing New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21, before facing Egypt in Seattle on June 26. While the Iranian players and support staff received US visas and arrived in Mexico on Sunday, the ability of fans to attend remains in doubt.
The federation stated that the decision raises questions about the interference of non-sporting considerations. The federation blamed the United States, one of the tournament hosts, following months of war. This complaint is the latest dispute regarding Iran's World Cup participation, following previous visa issues.