FIFA tried to ban the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag. Iranian fans at SoFi Stadium made sure everyone saw it anyway.
For the second straight World Cup match in LA, Iranian supporters openly flooded the stands with the Lion-and-Sun flag during Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Belgium, completely ignoring FIFA’s efforts to keep the symbol out of the tournament.
According to videos and photos shared by the X account Throwback Iran, FIFA and stadium security cranked up screening measures ahead of kickoff, subjecting fans to additional security screenings to keep the banned flag out of the venue. But the effort did little to stop it.
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By the time the match started, Lion-and-Sun flags were everywhere, popping up on banners, shirts and signs all across the crowd.
The massive backlash against Iran’s ruling regime was impossible to miss before the game even kicked off.
When the anthem of the Islamic Republic of Iran played over the loudspeakers, a deafening wave of boos erupted across SoFi Stadium.
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One supporter held a sign reading, “Where is Rashid Mazaheri?”, referencing the former Iran national team goalkeeper whose detention became a rallying cry after he publicly blasted the regime’s leadership earlier this year.
Tensions boiled over during the match when a fan wearing an Iran shirt was arrested and escorted out by law enforcement.
Despite the heavy security presence, large Lion-and-Sun flags remained visible throughout the stands for most of the match.
The political drama largely overshadowed the action on the pitch. Iran ground out a hard-fought point in a scoreless draw against a Belgium squad that dropped to 10 men after Nathan Ngoy picked up a second-half red card.
Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand made seven saves to preserve the clean sheet, while Mehdi Taremi had a first-half goal overturned by an offside review.
Sunday’s defiance perfectly mirrored Iran’s opener against New Zealand, where fans similarly ignored FIFA’s restrictions and loudly booed the official anthem.
But the fans appear unmoved. With Iran set to face Egypt in its final Group G match on June 26, tournament officials may soon find themselves dealing with the same scenes all over again.
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