The Crossbill Sports Desk
Despite a court-backed decision to maintain FIFA’s ban on the display of Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag during the 2026 World Cup, the symbol was seen prominently inside Los Angeles Stadium during Iran’s opening match against New Zealand, with several spectators openly displaying it in the stands.
The flag, which resembles Iran’s current national flag but includes the lion and sun emblem associated with the Pahlavi Dynasty that ruled the country until the 1979 revolution, became the centre of a legal challenge filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The suit was brought on Thursday by the Institute for Voice of Liberty and Sam Kermanian, an Iranian supporter planning to attend the game.
The matter was fast-tracked and heard only hours before Monday’s fixture. Judge Curtis A. Kin ultimately ruled in favour of retaining the restrictions imposed by FIFA.
Even so, broadcast footage from the match showed multiple instances of the prohibited flag being displayed by supporters. Images from before kickoff and during the game also captured fans carrying and waving the symbol.
A video shared by Throwback Iran on X showed a group of supporters stitching together separate pieces of the flag that they had brought into the venue.
“There may be harm to some 2,500 staff members who have to deal with safety protocols,” Judge Kin said, according to The Athletic, while explaining the judgement.
“It is a tremendous burden to change a long-standing stadium protocol for a massive event in a period of hours. It is hard to see how FIFA could make a change at one stadium and not the rest.”
The issue had already generated tensions during Friday’s opening ceremony in Los Angeles, where sections of the largely American crowd booed when Iran’s official flag was carried onto the field.
Iran’s participation in the tournament has also exposed divisions within the Iranian-American community. While some supporters chose to back the national team and attend the matches, others opted to demonstrate outside the stadium, reflecting contrasting views over the country’s representation on the world stage.
The flag, which resembles Iran’s current national flag but includes the lion and sun emblem associated with the Pahlavi Dynasty that ruled the country until the 1979 revolution, became the centre of a legal challenge filed last week in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The suit was brought on Thursday by the Institute for Voice of Liberty and Sam Kermanian, an Iranian supporter planning to attend the game.
The matter was fast-tracked and heard only hours before Monday’s fixture. Judge Curtis A. Kin ultimately ruled in favour of retaining the restrictions imposed by FIFA.
Even so, broadcast footage from the match showed multiple instances of the prohibited flag being displayed by supporters. Images from before kickoff and during the game also captured fans carrying and waving the symbol.
A video shared by Throwback Iran on X showed a group of supporters stitching together separate pieces of the flag that they had brought into the venue.
A group of Iranian football fans at the World Cup brought different parts of Iran’s flag into the stadium and sewed them together during the game.
— Throwback Iran (@Tarikh_Eran) June 15, 2026
FIFA has unjustly banned Iran’s 500+ years old flag, but Iranians keep finding creative ways to display their flag ???????? pic.twitter.com/Ss44l6PSLM
“There may be harm to some 2,500 staff members who have to deal with safety protocols,” Judge Kin said, according to The Athletic, while explaining the judgement.
“It is a tremendous burden to change a long-standing stadium protocol for a massive event in a period of hours. It is hard to see how FIFA could make a change at one stadium and not the rest.”
The issue had already generated tensions during Friday’s opening ceremony in Los Angeles, where sections of the largely American crowd booed when Iran’s official flag was carried onto the field.
Iran’s participation in the tournament has also exposed divisions within the Iranian-American community. While some supporters chose to back the national team and attend the matches, others opted to demonstrate outside the stadium, reflecting contrasting views over the country’s representation on the world stage.
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