Protests ahead of Iran's first World Cup match

As the Iranian national anthem played immediately before the kickoff of the World Cup match against New Zealand, loud boos could be heard in the stadium. The Iranian team stood united in the center circle, with each player placing a hand over their heart. Due to the Iran-New Zealand conflict, the match in Inglewood is highly politically charged; protests had taken place outside the stadium.

“The soccer team of the terrorist Islamic Republic does not represent the people of Iran,” read a sign outside the arena. Many people waved—later also inside the stadium—old Iranian flags from the time before the Islamic Revolution. The atmosphere in Inglewood, near Los Angeles, was peaceful, as a dpa reporter observed.

Iran’s World Cup Participation as a Political Issue

Iran’s World Cup participation had long been in doubt. The months-long military conflict between the U.S. and Israel on one side and Iran on the other had turned Iran’s World Cup participation into a political issue. The agreement to officially sign a framework deal this Friday to end the conflict recently fueled hopes for a thaw in tensions even before the match.

“I’m happy to support the people of Iran here; I don’t support the regime,” a fan told the German Press Agency outside the Los Angeles stadium. Many Iranian fans living in the U.S. or other countries were expected in the arena. Traveling directly from Iran to the U.S. was practically impossible.