Fans of the Iran soccer team that grabbed a 2-2 draw with New Zealand on Monday at the FIFA World Cup were happy to defy the autocratic sports body and fly flags it had banned – specifically, the pre-revolution Iranian flag of old.
Before the contest began hundreds hundreds of protesters rallied outside the stadium to call for an end to the ruthless Iranian Islamic dictatorship.
They did the same thing once inside.
Right across SoFi Stadium, the pre-revolutionary Iranian standard was visible throughout the crowd, with fans displaying it on flags and T-shirts alike.
FIFA officials inside the stadium did try and stop the protests but were eventually overwhelmed by the sheer number of people embracing the traditional flag.
As Breitbart News reported, FIFA said the pre-revolutionary flag violated the organization’s code of conduct, which states “banners, flags, fliers, apparel and other paraphernalia, that are of a political, offensive and/or discriminatory nature” will be barred from all soccer games in the tournament.
The pre-revolutionary Iran flag shares the same colors as the current flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the original flag, beloved by Iranian dissidents and refugees, prominently features a lion and sun in the center.
Following the 1979 Iranian revolution, the new regime placed the Islamic emblem in the center, believing that the lion and sun represented the exiled Shah of Iran.
Iranian fan and the banned flag during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on June 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images
The old, original – so detested by leaders of the Islamic totalitarian regime in Tehran – has since become a feature of protests by those seeking freedom from oppression.
The FIFA World Cup is no exception even as the sporting autocrats bow towards Palestinian supporters.
When asked if the Palestinian flag would be featured at the World Cup as the old Iran flag was banned, FIFA said that it is an “officially approved flag of a member association of FIFA.”