First published in Washington Examiner
The FIFA World Cup kicks off in just a few days. The FIFA World Cup is widely considered the most popular sporting event in the world. While this is a sporting event, and as much as FIFA likes to keep football neutral, political, religious, or personal messages are generally prohibited, and players and teams are not supposed to use matches for political statements—politics always finds its way into the game.
The FIFA World Cup has never truly been free from politics—and some years stand out as especially controversial. This year is one of them. While it is an honor for every country to qualify for the World Cup, Iranians have mixed feelings.
Under the Islamic Republic, sports—and particularly football—have been weaponized to promote the regime’s messaging and propaganda. This is not a new approach in the highly controlled, IRGC-influenced Iranian Football Federation. The Iranian national team’s voyage to the U.S. has coincided with the ongoing conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, which has made their entry into the U.S. more complicated.
They were first supposed to camp in Tucson, AZ. Then they moved the training camp to Tijuana, Mexico, due to visa issues. They still need visas, and the U.S. government has announced that it will issue hourly visas for the team. While the Iranian side blamed U.S. visa policy for moving the training camp to Mexico, the main reason could be the Iranian diaspora.
In Farsi, “Team Melli” means the National Team. However, due to some players showing support for the Islamic regime—and most of them staying quiet during the recent January uprising and the killing of more than 40,000 citizens—many Iranians are calling them “Team Mullah,” referring to them as a government team rather than a national or people’s team. The Iranian diaspora is fed up with their behavior and inaction during these difficult times, and this might be the real reason they moved the training camp.
On the other hand, FIFA plans to ban the “Lion and Sun” flag inside stadiums. The green, white, and red tricolor served as Iran’s national flag before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran has been able to push for this due to its strong relationship with Qatar. They were also able to fly in supporters and pack stadiums there; they can’t do those things here, so they are pressuring FIFA to act.
The Lion and Sun flag is a symbol of Iranian dissidents, and having it in stadiums—where the world is watching—could damage the regime’s reputation and dismantle its propaganda machine. The Iranian diaspora was outraged by this news, and FIFA now faces a lawsuit over its plan to ban Iran’s pre-revolution flag.
If you are watching a game on TV, or going to a stadium and see the “Lion and Sun” flag, or if you live in Arizona and see us over the weekends at the intersection of Camelback Rd and N. Scottsdale Rd, then you know why. The Islamic regime has kept 90 million citizens hostage for 47 years. They cut off internet access for 88 days, then restored it in a limited capacity with heavy filtering. They executed more than 2,000 people in 2025 and more than 150 people in the first half of 2026. The Iranian people are fighting for freedom, and we should not allow the Islamic regime— with the help of FIFA—to silence Iranian Americans who are trying to be the voice of their people.
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