Iranian Sports Minister Threatens to Halt Matches

Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamalali has continued to make unusual statements amid the political tensions and disagreements surrounding Iran’s expected participation in the World Cup, which kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, in the United States.

This time, he told the media that if a flag other than that of the Islamic Republic is raised in stadiums, or if anti-regime slogans are heard in the stands, the team will be required to stop the matches immediately.

The extreme threat drew a wave of ridicule and sharp criticism from independent Iranian journalists, who pointed to the hypocrisy of senior regime officials. Critics recalled that just a few months ago, the minister said the team would not go to the World Cup, and later criticized the trip to the United States as an act of “disrespect and humiliation of national pride.” They asked, “Where did your dignity go? How long will you keep making statements when in practice the exact opposite always happens?”

At the same time, the Iranian Football Association is trying to project business as usual. Association spokesman Amir-Mahdi Alavi confirmed that the team will land in Los Angeles on a special charter flight about 24 hours before its opening match against New Zealand, while for its next two group-stage matches it will arrive about 48 hours before kickoff.

This tight schedule, under which the players will enter and leave U.S. soil during the tournament, underscores the regime’s deep concern about prolonged contact between the delegation and the local crowd. According to reports, the main fear is a possible encounter with the large and critical Iranian community living in California and across the United States, which could use the stage for protest. World Cup 2026