Iran’s first match of the 2026 World Cup was accompanied by protests and competing displays of support outside the stadium near Los Angeles on Monday.
Dozens of demonstrators waved pre-revolutionary Iranian flags, chanted slogans and called for political change in Tehran, while football supporters arrived wearing Iran jerseys and national colours ahead of kickoff against New Zealand.
Some protesters argued that Iran’s national team is closely associated with the country’s leadership, while many fans said they were focused on supporting the players rather than politics.
Southern California is home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran, and the match highlighted long-standing divisions within the diaspora.
The gathering came just hours after a judge upheld FIFA’s ban on the pre-revolutionary lion-and-sun flag inside World Cup venues. Despite the ruling, some of the flags were still visible among spectators attending the match.