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 tensions with the United States continue to escalate. The team's opening game against New Zealand in Los Angeles comes amid a fragile ceasefire and stalled negotiations, undermining Fifa's 'football unites the world' slogan.
The political backdrop has created unprecedented challenges, with analysts calling it the most politically combustible World Cup ever. Iran's players faced uncertainty over their participation after Donald Trump suggested they should stay away, and only received US visas this week. Several officials, including the president of Iran's football federation, were denied entry due to links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Preparations have been disrupted, with the team's training base moved from Arizona to Tijuana, Mexico. The squad will travel to Los Angeles on match days and return to Mexico immediately to avoid staying overnight in the US. This pattern will repeat for games against Belgium and Egypt, the latter of which has sparked controversy over a Pride match designation.
An ideological tug-of-war between Iran's regime and its opponents has further complicated matters. A sanctioned World Cup video depicting players as representatives of Shia Islamist ideology drew criticism, with analysts calling it a 'major own goal'. Reza Pahlavi, son of the deposed shah, has attacked efforts to portray the team as regime emissaries, noting that many Iranians no longer see the national team as representing the nation.
The team's reception in Los Angeles, home to a large Iranian diaspora, remains uncertain due to opposition to the regime among expats. Fifa has banned displays of pre-1979 revolution flags after lobbying from Iran's football federation.
