Shortly before the start of the tournament
Iran threatens to cancel World Cup games
June 10, 2026 – 12:29 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Before the start of the World Cup, political issues are also in the foreground. Iran is therefore issuing a threat.
Sports Minister Ahmad Donjamali has told FIFA that the Iranian team would leave the field if political slogans were heard in the stadiums or spectators showed the old Persian flag. The background is concern about protests by the Persian diaspora – particularly explosive because two of the three preliminary round games take place in Los Angeles.
According to the sports portal Varzesh3, Donjamali warned: “We have already informed FIFA that those responsible for the team would stop the game as soon as we heard political slogans in the stadiums.” The Iranian Football Association has also repeatedly asked the world association to only allow the official flag of the Islamic Republic.
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The ancient Persian flag with the lion and sun emblem is considered a symbol of rejection of the Islamic system. Monarchist opposition groups also use them at protest rallies abroad. Observers doubt whether a ban would be enforceable.
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Almost two million Iranians live in the USA, the majority of them in Los Angeles. LA is therefore also called “Tehrangeles” or “Irangeles”. For many of them, the World Cup offers a platform to make their protest against the Iranian leadership visible. The Iranian selection will face New Zealand on June 16th (3:00 a.m. CEST) and Belgium on June 21st (9:00 p.m. CEST). The third preliminary round game will take place on June 27th (5:00 a.m. CEST) in Seattle against Egypt.
In addition, the military conflict with the USA overshadowed Iran’s participation in the World Cup. Due to entry restrictions, the Iranian association has moved its team headquarters from the US state of Arizona to Tijuana in Mexico, south of San Diego. According to the Iranian ambassador to Mexico, the team is only allowed to enter the USA on match days.