Iranian Americans are planning watch parties for Iran's FIFA World Cup match against New Zealand, despite protests outside the stadium where the team will play. Some community members plan to protest the ban on Iran's pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums.
Iran players walk onto the pitch at the stadium one day before their FIFA World Cup match against New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif. , near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 14, 2026.
People carry a giant Iranian flag during a protest in reaction to FIFA's ban of Iran's pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. Iran head coach Amir Ghalehnoy, right, and player Mehdi Taremi listens to a question during a press conference ahead of their FIFA World Cup match against New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif. , near Los Angeles, Sunday, June 14, 2026.
A woman has her face painted during a protest in reaction to FIFA's ban of Iran's pre-revolutionary flag inside World Cup stadiums Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif.
Many of Southern California’s Iranian Americans arrived after the Islamic Revolution, and a hub of eateries, shops and markets about 10 miles from the stadium is a rally participants plan to wear lion-and-sun T-shirts and wave the country's flag from before the 1979 Islamic Revolution in protest of Tehran’s Ali Javahery, a 59-year-old consultant who was born in Iran and lives in California’s Orange County, said he will be outside protesting Iran's opening match against New Zealand, not inside watching it. He said soccer and politics are intertwined, and though he loves the sport, he says the national team's players are under pressure to adhere to the Iranian government's positions.
‘This is not ‘Team Melli,’’ as the national team is known in Persian, Javahery said. ‘This is Team Islamic Republic. ’ Iran's participation in the tournament has been fraught with conflict because of the country's war with U.S. and Israeli forces. The team’s participation has been fraught with conflict because of the country’s war with U.S. and Israeli forces.
The team’s participation has been fraught with conflict because of the country’s war with U.S. and Israeli forces. The team’s participation has been fraught with conflict because of the country’s war with U.S. and Israeli forces
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