The Iranian national team has arrived in Los Angeles, and before the politically sensitive appearance in the USA, Iran is once again criticizing the general conditions. The arrival is accompanied by protests from the Iranian resistance, political messages from the team – and a possible peace agreement.
Almost at the same time as the Iranian team landed at Los Angeles airport on Saturday (local time), US President Donald Trump announced peace between the US and Iran. “The agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete”, wrote Trump. “Ships of the world, start your engines, let the oil flow!” The Iranian side also said that the text of an agreement had been completed.
Maybe peace will come. But the tensions remain for now. The question of whether and how Iran can, should and will play at the 2026 World Cup is a defining theme of this World Cup.
The Iranian team on its departure to Los Angeles in Tijuana
Protests against the Iranian regime in Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, the team’s arrival was accompanied by demonstrators who displayed Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag, which was valid until 1979 – it is considered a symbol of resistance against the regime in Tehran. “If FIFA believes in its own principles, it must show the Iranian regime’s football association a red card because it is controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.”said Nasser Sharif of the California Society for Democracy in Iran.
Protests against the Iranian regime in Los Angeles on the day of the team’s arrival
Numerous people with Iranian roots live in Los Angeles, and many of them are expected at the game. If such a flag were to be shown in the stadium during the game against New Zealand on Tuesday night (3 a.m. CEST), Iran has already publicly threatened to abandon the game. “It is FIFA’s job to separate football from politics”said Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei at the pre-match press conference. “We are not political people.”
Iran’s coach Amir Ghalenoei
Iran’s association sends political messages
The Iranian association has already made the players political symbols of the tournament. #168 was a hashtag under an Instagram post about the team’s departure for the USA. The players had already worn pins with the same number when they traveled to their training camp in Mexico. It is the number of victims of an American attack on a school in Iran.
Iran’s Alireza Jahanbakhsh at Tijuana airport with a pin with the number 168 – the number of dead after the US attack on the elementary school in Minab.
When the FIFA “Peace Prize winner” Trump began the war against Iran at the end of February in the fight for oil supplies to the USA, football found itself in a special situation: a World Cup host bombed a World Cup participating country. And when the opening ceremonies took place in Mexico, Canada and the USA in June, the war in Iran was still not over.
Iran coach: Travel problems ‘of course have an impact’
The Iranian government, which brutally suppresses all opposition and alone in 2025 executed more than 2,000 peoplehas since threatened to boycott the tournament. The association moved the training camp from Arizona in the USA to Tijuana in Mexico. The last friendly opponents Puerto Rico and Grenada canceled the games, Iran is starting the World Cup without a dress rehearsal. In addition, Iran’s allotted tickets for its fans were withdrawn at short notice and 15 delegation members were not granted a visa.
“Of course it has an impact”said Iran’s coach Amir Ghalenoei at the pre-game press conference, with a view to the questions surrounding his team’s preparation and entry to the USA for the World Cup. “This behavior”he said, “will have a negative impact on the spirit of the tournament to bring people and cultures together.”
FIFA boss Infantino praises himself for Iran’s participation
The head of the Iranian organization, Mahdi Mohammad Nabi, told the Reuters news agency that, in his opinion, FIFA President Gianni Infantino had not fulfilled his promise to give the Iranian association unrestricted access to the team’s games. Nabi said he has never had one at a World Cup “such poor coordination” experienced.
Before the start of the tournament, Infantino, on the other hand, praised Iran’s participation in the tournament as proof of his association’s success in dealing with complex political issues. He would have the team if necessary “picked up from Tehran by bus”. He doesn’t know “Who else could have enabled Iran’s participation under these circumstances”. Trump publicly advised the team against traveling to the World Cup and had previously said that he would “completely irrelevant” whether Iran plays along or not.
USA versus Iran – will there be a direct duel?
After the game against New Zealand in Los Angeles, Iran will play again in Los Angeles against Belgium and at the end of the group phase in Seattle against Egypt. The tournament may hold some irony: if Iran and the USA both finish second in their groups, they would meet in the round of 16 in Dallas.
When both countries met at the 1998 World Cup in France, a common image emerged: Iranian players presenting flowers to their opponents. Such conciliatory scenes are probably not in sight at the moment.
1998 World Cup: Players from the USA and Iran pose for a group photo with the referee team.