Iran’s football federation has accused the United States of preventing Iranian supporters from attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup after allegedly revoking the country’s ticket allocation for its group-stage matches. The federation made the allegation on Tuesday, just days before the tournament begins.

According to the federation, the move is part of a series of obstacles imposed by the US, including reported visa restrictions affecting some Iranian support staff. The dispute comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries following recent military confrontations involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

The Iranian football body stated that FIFA regulations entitle participating nations to receive eight per cent of tickets for each match to distribute to their fans through official channels. It claimed the withdrawal of this allocation would significantly limit the ability of Iranian supporters to attend and support their national team during the competition.