Iran will make history on Monday by becoming the first country to play a World Cup match on the soil of a host nation with which it is at war, as the team faces New Zealand in Los Angeles. The fixture takes place against a backdrop of escalating hostilities between Iran and the United States, with a fragile ceasefire failing to hold and diplomatic efforts stalling.
The political tensions have cast a shadow over Fifa’s “football unites the world” slogan, with analysts describing the tournament as the most politically combustible in history. Jules Boykoff, a politics professor and former professional footballer, noted that there has never been a World Cup where one host nation threatens war crimes against a participating nation, which in turn bombs other participants.
Iran’s participation was thrown into doubt after former US President Donald Trump suggested the team should stay away for safety. Visas were only granted to players this week, though several officials, including Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj, were denied entry due to his past membership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The uncertainty forced the team to relocate their training camp from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico, and they will travel to Los Angeles only on match days, returning to Mexico immediately afterwards to avoid overnight stays in the US.
The ideological battle over who the team represents has intensified. An official World Cup video released by Iran’s regime depicts players as representatives of Shia Islamist ideology, drawing criticism from analysts. Alex Vatanka of the Middle East Institute called it “a major own goal”, arguing that the regime missed a chance to unite the nation. Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed shah, has also criticised efforts to portray the team as regime emissaries, noting that many Iranians no longer see the national team as representing the nation.
Meanwhile, Iran’s match against Egypt in Seattle on 26 June has stirred further controversy after local authorities designated it a Pride match, prompting protests from both Iran and Egypt, where homosexuality is criminalised. The team’s other group game is against Belgium on 21 June.
