Pre-revolutionary flags spotted, anthem booed at Iran’s World Cup opener
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Dozens of pre-revolutionary flags were brought into SoFi Stadium for Iran’s World Cup opener against New Zealand in defiance of FIFA’s ban.
In one particularly pointed moment, a group of fans on the far side of the ground held up theirs in direct response to the enormous flag of the current Iran government being unfurled on the pitch opposite New Zealand’s as part of matchday protocols.
Those supporters were left unchallenged by stewards, despite FIFA winning a court hearing enabling them to lawfully prohibit people showing the lion-and-sun flags on the grounds of them carrying a political message and potentially causing disturbances.
The legal case, decided at an emergency hearing in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday morning, was brought by an Iranian fan who said FIFA’s block impinged freedom of speech, but the judge rejected that argument.
Prior to the opening of SoFi Stadium’s gates, a security official from the security contractor CSC told The Athletic that he had been instructed — and had, in turn, instructed all of his staffers — to not let fans enter with flags bearing any Iranian pre-revolution imagery. He pulled out his phone, scrolled up in a large WhatsApp group, and showed five images that were not permitted, including the flag with the lion and sun.
Iran kicked off its World Cup against New Zealand on Monday night. (Stu Forster / Getty Images)
When a group of six fans wearing white t-shirts with the pre-revolution flag emblazoned on the fronts, they were stopped by a security staffer, who called over her supervisor. The supervisor told the fans they were not allowed in. After some discussions, the fans were asked to cover their shirts with jackets, or take them off and turn them inside out. After doing so, they were allowed to enter.
One of those six fans, Mehdi, told The Athletic that they’d worn the shirts “because this is the true flag of my country.” A younger boy with him said: “It means freedom.”
Another fan, Aiden — who had traveled with his Iranian family from the U.S. east coast and declined to give his last name — said he had no trouble bringing in a pre-revolution flag.
“The flag that FIFA puts is not the flag that really represents the people,” Aiden said with the pre-revolution flag draped around his shoulders. “It’s really a symbol of oppression, and the killing of so many people from January, and honestly the past 47 years. We want to bring our symbol of freedom and expression.”
There were also many current Islamic Republic flags in the stadium. A majority of Iranian fans seemed to be cheering for Iran’s team. But there were also a smattering of fans with pre-revolutionary flags who booed the Iranian national anthem and erupted in celebration when New Zealand scored an early goal.