Iran Threatens to Halt World Cup Matches Over Flag and Slogan Issues
Iran's Warning Ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026
Tehran, Iran - June 10: Iran has issued a warning that it may suspend its participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup if unauthorized flags are displayed or if chants against the national team are heard in the stadiums, as reported by various media outlets citing Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali.
The World Cup kicks off on June 11, with Iran set to begin its Group G journey against New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15. Following that, they will face Belgium at the same location on June 21, and wrap up their group stage against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
Donyamali stated that FIFA has been notified that matches involving Iran could be halted if any unofficial flags or anti-team slogans are present in the stadiums. He also mentioned that assurances have been given that no disruptions are anticipated during the match against Egypt.
“We have informed FIFA that if any unofficial flags are displayed or slogans against the national team are chanted during our World Cup matches, the team manager will be responsible for stopping the game. We have received assurances that no disruptive incidents will occur during the match against Egypt,” Donyamali said, according to reports.
This warning comes shortly after the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFRI) announced that its allocation of FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets was revoked, leaving fans who had already made travel arrangements without access to the matches.
The Iranian football federation indicated that it had begun selling its allocated tickets for the World Cup but later had the distribution revoked. Consequently, many Iranian supporters who relied on the official ticketing process and made travel plans are now unable to attend.
“Depriving Iranian fans of their rightful access to tickets is contrary to the spirit of international competitions and the principle of equality among participating nations,” the FFIRI stated.
“This situation raises significant concerns regarding the influence of non-sporting and political factors on the organization of the world’s largest football event,” they added.
Despite many Iranian football fans having made plans based on the official ticketing process, the FFIRI did not specify who was responsible for withholding the tickets but urged FIFA to uphold its “principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations” to prevent external issues from impacting the event.
Iran's World Cup journey has been overshadowed by ongoing political tensions with the United States and Israel.
The FFIRI had to negotiate a last-minute relocation of the team’s base camp from Arizona to Mexico due to uncertainties surrounding US visa approvals and a growing sentiment in Iran to limit the squad's time in the US.
After weeks of uncertainty, the United States granted visas to all Iranian players last week, just over a week before their first match, although several team staff members were denied entry.