IRAN’S ticket allocation for the World Cup has been pulled just days before the tournament is set to get underway, the country’s football federation has claimed.
The Iranian federation said it had already begun the ticket sales process for its upcoming Group G games in Los Angeles, against New Zealand on June 15, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
However, in a statement on Tuesday morning, Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) said its ticket allocation has been pulled, leaving supporters who had already made travel plans unable to attend the team’s matches.
“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 in a statement according to Reuters.
“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.”
Each participating federation at the World Cup receives 8% of the tickets for each of their matches to be allocated to fans according to their own criteria.
The FFIRI did not say who had made the decision to withhold the tickets but urged FIFA to adhere to the ”principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations”.
It comes after Iran’s squad landed in Mexico on Sunday amid a diplomatic row, after the United States refused to issue visas for some of the team’s staff.
The Iranian team is based in Tijuana despite all their group games being played in the US.
The Iran coach, Amir Ghalenoei, complained on arrival at Tijuana airport that “we should have been here last week because a 12-hour time difference needs two weeks of adjusting”.
He added: “Usually in these tournaments, before technical matters, ethical and human considerations must be respected – which I think for us it was not the case.”
This year’s World Cup will be the first men’s tournament where a host nation receives the team of a country with which it is at war.
