Iran’s national team was again met with a hostile atmosphere at the 2026 World Cup. Ahead of its Group B match against Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, boos were heard during the Iranian anthem, just as they had been before Iran’s opening game against New Zealand.
Before the anthems, the stadium announcer tried to lower the tension by asking fans to “clap for peace,” but the response was muted, with only weak support coming from the stands. Outside the stadium, about 300 to 500 protesters gathered carrying signs and flags opposing the Iranian regime.
Some protesters said they would not enter the match because, in their view, sitting in the stands could be seen as backing Tehran. They demonstrated against the government in Iran and against the repression of pro-democracy activists there. Once again, the stands also featured numerous Lion and Sun flags, a symbol used by regime opponents.
Fans were also seen carrying combined flags of Israel, Iran and the United States. Los Angeles, which has the largest Iranian community outside Iran, has a particularly charged political atmosphere because of the mass wave of immigration after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The anthem controversy has become one of the most prominent stories surrounding Iran at the tournament.
