Fans expected a flag ban at Iran’s first World Cup match in LA, but it was all over SoFi

Despite an expected ban on Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag at the World Cup, many fans waved and displayed it at SoFi Stadium for Iran's first match against New Zealand on Monday, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Just a day after the U.S. and Iran announced they had come to an agreement to end a months-long war, the crowd inside the stadium was largely pulling for Iran. Fans erupted in cheers when Iranian players had the ball, and exploded when the team scored.

A person carries a pre-revolutionary Iranian flag before the World Cup group stage match between Iran and New Zealand at SoFi Stadium.

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Allen J. Schaben

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Still, the stands were dotted with people holding a flag similar to Iran's national flag, but bearing a lion and a sun. That flag is associated with the monarchy that ruled Iran before the 1979 revolution, and is a common sight at protests against the Iranian government. Others wore the symbol on their t-shirts and clothes.

FIFA had previously indicated that that flag would be banned in its stadiums, as part of its policy prohibiting political messages. As late as Monday morning, a judge ruled in favor of FIFA in a lawsuit filed in L.A. Superior Court over its flag policy, according to the Athletic.

But on Monday afternoon, some fans entering the stadium were getting in with their flags. The flag was so present inside and around SoFi Stadium that one merchandise seller Raul Gomez said he had put away the official Iranian flag and was advertising the lion and sun flag instead.

"They don't want the Iran flag," he said, gesturing at the national flag, which displays the emblem of the Islamic Republic of Iran. "That's why I put these away."

One security guard who said he wasn't authorized to speak to the media told LAist that security staff had been letting people in with the pre-revolutionary flag. The guard said that staff did confiscate materials with more overtly political or inflammatory messages.

An official talks with people with pre-revolutionary Iranian flag before the World Cup group stage match between Iran and New Zealand at the SoFi Stadium.

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Robert Gauthier

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Other publications including Yahoo News reported that some fans were turned away at the gates for carrying the flag.

LAist has reached out to FIFA for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Some showed up at the stadium to protest the flag ban. Parisa Heravi, an Iranian who lives in Los Angeles, didn't have a ticket to the match but stood outside near the line to get in, holding a large lion and sun flag and sporting a "Make Iran Great Again" red hat.

Heravi said she was there in part because of concern that the pre-revolutionary flag wouldn't be allowed inside. She said she also came to oppose the Iranian team.

" The players are all part of the government," she said. "They're all the same people, so we don't support them."

Others arrived excited to cheer on Iran's national team, including L.A. resident Art Eftekhari, who runs a YouTube Channel where he follows Iranian soccer. He's such a fan of the national team that he traveled to Tijuana to stay in the same hotel as the players ahead of the World Cup. The team's training camp was moved from Arizona to Tijuana due to the U.S. war on Iran.

" I'm a huge supporter of the national team of Iran, and it's so awesome to be able to go to a game just a short drive from home," Eftekhari said. "It's the World Cup, so it couldn't be any better."

Many fans were seen entering the stadium were getting in with their flags.

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Libby Rainey

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LAist

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Despite an expected ban on Iran’s pre-revolutionary flag at the World Cup, many fans waved and displayed it at SoFi Stadium.

(

Libby Rainey

/

LAist

)

Iranians traveled from across the country for the match, too. Amir Navabi came from Georgia. He brought both flags to make sure he could get in no matter what.

"I am a fan.  I have the one with the sun, and I have the one with the government logo," Navabi said, gesturing to his gear. "I just want to go and watch the soccer."

Iran’s next match at SoFi Stadium is June 21 against Belgium.

Matt Ballinger contributed to this report.