2026 World Cup: Iran expected in Los Angeles amid a tense geopolitical context

Iran is expected in Los Angeles on Sunday, on the eve of its World Cup debut against New Zealand, a match on American soil overshadowed by the geopolitical context and the war in the Middle East.

With the conflict triggered by the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, Tehran maintained doubts about Team Melli's participation in the World Cup until the very last minute. The United States refused to grant visas to about fifteen members of the coaching staff, and the team also established its base camp at the last minute in Tijuana, Mexico, rather than in Tucson, Arizona, as originally planned.

The Iranian national team was required by FIFA regulations to be in Los Angeles on Sunday, the day before their first match. A press conference is scheduled for 3:45 p.m. (10:45 p.m. GMT) at SoFi Stadium, located near the international airport where the players are expected to land from Tijuana after a flight of approximately 20 minutes.

Starting the World Cup in "Tehrangeles" - one of Los Angeles' nicknames for the size of its Iranian community - might seem like an advantage, but part of the diaspora views the team as a propaganda tool for the Islamic Republic.

Large demonstrations were organized in January in the Californian megalopolis to denounce the crushing of a new popular uprising in Iran that has left thousands dead.

- Match potentially stopped?

Calls have been made to demonstrate on Monday in Inglewood around this ultra-modern 70,000-seat stadium, to wave the flag of pre-Islamic revolution Iran when the green, white and red banner was adorned with a lion and a sun.

Some protesters could also enter the stadium and boo the Iranian national anthem, as happened in Qatar in 2022, raising the threat of tensions surrounding the match. Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali warned that Iran would be particularly vigilant regarding "flags and slogans," threatening to stop the match if any symbols hostile to the Islamic Republic were displayed.

And on Saturday, the president of the Iranian football federation, Mehdi Taj, reminded FIFA that it should ensure that only the Iranian flag in its Islamic Republic version would be visible in the World Cup stadiums.

FIFA regulations prohibit any "political" accessories in stadiums. However, their application has been inconsistent in previous tournaments, and no one knows how opponents with tickets will be treated. These uncertainties surrounding the reception for Team Melli contribute to the pressure surrounding the match in Los Angeles.

Iran is due to play its three Group G matches in the United States, the second also in Los Angeles on June 21 against Belgium, and finally the third in Seattle on June 26 against Egypt.

- "Message of peace" -

Will Team Melli be able to play their best football under these conditions? On paper, they certainly have a chance of getting through the group stage of the World Cup for the first time in their history, taking advantage of a group considered manageable, in a competition that has expanded to 48 teams where the eight best third-placed teams from the groups continue their journey to the knockout stage.

Iran, ranked 20th in the FIFA rankings, has a great opportunity to shine on Monday against New Zealand, only the 85th nation in the world and looking for their first World Cup victory.

The team is counting on its star striker Mehdi Taremi, who already scored two goals during the 2022 edition in Qatar.

"This is my third World Cup. I've always said that when you set foot on the soil of the host country you should feel a warm and unifying atmosphere. It may just be an impression, but that's not what I'm feeling right now. There is obviously significant tension, but I would like sport and politics to always be kept separate," the Olympiakos player, formerly of Inter Milan, explained to Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 33-year-old striker still hopes to "carry a message of peace" on the pitch.