Iran at the World Cup
June 26, 2026
Salam reader,
Today is a World Cup knockout-round match for Team Melli—the Iranian national team—and they’re facing Egypt on Pride Day in Seattle, Washington (11 pm EST).
Both countries, where homosexuality remains criminalized, had reportedly complained to FIFA about the LGBTQ+ events planned around the match and requested that they be canceled, but those efforts were unsuccessful (The Guardian).
Iran and Egypt share deep historical ties. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s first wife, Princess Fawzia, was Egyptian. Egypt also allowed the Shah to be buried in Cairo’s Al-Rifa’i Mosque, and their connections stretch far beyond modern history.
If ancient history is any guide, the descendants of Cambyses II may have the upper hand against the Egyptians in Seattle today. Fun (possible) fact: At the Battle of Pelusium, Cambyses II’s army supposedly released cats and other animals the Egyptians held sacred, prompting the Egyptians to surrender and leading to Egypt’s incorporation into the Persian Empire (worldhistory.org). Historians debate the story’s accuracy, but it remains one of my favorite legends from ancient Persian history.
And speaking of history: a prominent historian noted that the incredible goal blocked by Iran’s goalie during the Belgium match—which many Iranians joked was how they closed the Strait of Hormuz—resembled Cyrus the Great (X).
But Iranians aren’t focused on history in this moment—they’re focused on flags. And not the Pride flag, which FIFA confirmed would be permitted inside the Seattle stadium (The Guardian).
FIFA banned the Lion and Sun flag, Iran’s de facto national flag before the Islamic Republic, though some mistakenly call it a “monarchist” flag (The Athletic). The decision prompted many diaspora Iranians to smuggle the flag into the two previous matches in Los Angeles and display it proudly—not only as a symbol of Iranian identity, but also as an act of defiance against FIFA’s decision and in solidarity with the anti-regime protesters in January, many of whom carried the Lion and Sun flag before thousands were massacred by security forces (some refer to it as the “Lion and Sun uprising/revolution”) (X/New York Post/X). Some fans had their flags confiscated, while confrontations sometimes broke out between pro-regime and anti-regime supporters, or simply because of the flag someone was carrying.
That said, from the anecdotes I’ve heard, the atmosphere at the matches was largely joyful and in support of the national team. Many Iranians were there to cheer for Team Melli (X). Some cheered for the opposing team, while others found themselves rooting for Team Melli by the end of the match (X/X). I witnessed Iranians—not necessarily monarchists—celebrate when Iran’s goal against Belgium was ruled offside (check out the video I took). When I asked someone why they supported Belgium instead of Team Melli, they explained, “This is the Islamic Republic’s team.”
It made me wonder: wasn’t it also, in their words, “the Islamic Republic’s team” when soccer legends like Ali Daei and Ali Karimi played and when Iranians around the world cheered them on?
During the 1998 World Cup in France, Iran’s victory over the United States (2–1) sparked celebrations from Westwood’s “Persian Square” in Los Angeles all the way to Iran. (There’s a lot of fascinating history around that match worth revisiting, including then-President Bill Clinton’s remarks before the game.) At the time, I remember being shocked when I heard from my family in Tehran that Iranians had bravely taken to the streets to celebrate—a first. Then, when I moved to the capital the following year, I ended up joining street celebrations after Iran’s World Cup qualifying matches in 2001 and 2005.
I share this background because historically, Team Melli has belonged to all Iranians regardless of politics. There is even a song, “Iran, Iran” by diaspora Persian pop singer Arash, that still evokes emotions in many Iranians when they hear it. But since the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom uprising—which unfolded during the World Cup in Qatar—the national team has become increasingly politicized, even more so now as elements of the diaspora became more radicalized in their opposition to the Islamic Republic.
Much of the frustration came from protesters who felt Team Melli’s players hadn’t taken a clear stance against the regime’s repression. While the players stood silently during the Islamic Republic’s national anthem in their opening World Cup match in Qatar, it did little to change perceptions. Even as a report at the time said their families faced threats of imprisonment and torture at home if they acted out of line (CNN). From that point onward, for many critics, Team Melli became “the regime’s team.” (The Guardian)
Just to give you some background on the players, I spoke with an Iranian soccer expert based in Europe who told me that Mehdi Torabi has been the most openly supportive of the Islamic Republic, followed by Shoja Khalilzadeh and Ali Alipour. For the rest of the squad, it’s harder to say with certainty where they stand, as many players may be navigating pressure. That said, it’s notable that Mehdi Taremi and Mehdi Ghayedi have publicly expressed support for the January anti-regime uprising (X). There was also a widely circulated, but apparently AI-generated, image showing one of the players tearing down a Woman, Life, Freedom poster in Mexico, which briefly sparked outrage among some Iranians (X/X).
That said, there are mixed feelings in Iran even about the team. Arya, a 38-year-old, said:
“I’ve never seen the World Cup feel this unimportant and lacking in excitement for me. Part of it is due to war-related issues, economic conditions, and all the hardships of the past year. On top of that, there’s been a growing gap between the national team and the people in recent years. I don’t necessarily blame the players; maybe society expects too much from [soccer players]. But one thing is clear: this current generation of the Iranian national team has never been able to build a proper, direct connection with the people.” (The Guardian)
Still, some Iranians in affluent parts of the capital were seen gathering at cafés to watch the game, and I imagine similar scenes unfolded elsewhere in the country (X). One of the viral Instagram trends in Iran during the World Cup has been support videos for Team Melli players, with fans recreating players’ celebration gestures as their names are announced (X/IG). There is also a diaspora version featuring a woman flipping the bird and pretending to gag (IG). Meanwhile, when the players traveled to Seattle for practice, Iranians were there to cheer on the team (X/X).
Team Melli isn’t just facing pressure from diaspora Iranians, but also from the United States. For their last two matches, the team relocated its camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, over concerns about how they would be treated. Typically, teams are allowed to stay in the host city up to two days before a match, but the US didn’t permit this. After their two matches in Los Angeles, the team was expected to return to Tijuana immediately (X). The US later eased restrictions for the Seattle match, allowing the squad to travel to the US two days before the game, but they will be required to leave after the match (AP).
Meanwhile, US officials have also raised concerns over Iran’s World Cup delegation. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin accused an Iranian sports official of having “direct ties” to the IRGC, which is designated by the US as a foreign terrorist organization (TIME). It seems the reference may have been to Iran’s soccer federation president, Mehdi Taj, who was denied a US visa (11 members of the Iranian soccer delegation were denied US visas for the World Cup). Iran’s soccer federation called Mullin’s remarks “FAKE” and an “outright and undeniable lie,” and that Mullin’s comments “represent a clear attempt to cover up discriminatory behavior and unreasonable restrictions imposed on the Iranian national team delegation.” (TIME)
But regardless of how they were treated during their two Los Angeles matches, Team Melli still left a letter showing their gratitude:
Whatever your politics, there’s one recurring World Cup phenomenon: countless social media posts that collectively admire Team Melli’s good looks. As actress and activist Nazanin Nour pointed out, “Every four years the world discovers Iranian men.” (X)
Since I didn’t get to the memorandum of understanding this week, I’ll leave you with this:
More soon,
Holly
P.S. Feel free to follow me on X for real-time updates and on LinkedIn, where I’ve been sharing additional interviews and commentary.