Iran players sing national anthem defiantly as protesters gather outside Los Angeles Stadium

Iran’s players made a pointed show of unity during their national anthem before their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on Monday, singing along with hands over their hearts as boos from sections of the crowd gave way to scattered applause by the anthem’s end.

The moment carried particular weight given the setting. Los Angeles is home to one of the largest Iranian diaspora communities in the world — estimates place the Iranian-American population in the greater Los Angeles area anywhere between 200,000 and 700,000, many of them descendants of those who fled following the Islamic Revolution of 1979. That revolution, which transformed Iran into an Islamic state, has been the source of repeated civil unrest in the decades since, as citizens have pushed for democratic reform.

Despite the political backdrop, the reception for Iran inside the stadium was notably warm. The squad — known as “Team Melli”, Persian for “national team” — was greeted with loud cheers as they emerged for their warm-up, and when the starting line-ups were read out, Iran drew the louder ovation of the two sides.

Outside the ground, the mood was more confrontational. A crowd gathered on the corner of Pincay Drive and Kareem Court, directly across from the stadium, to protest against the current Iranian government. Several groups had staged demonstrations in the build-up to kick-off, using the global platform of the World Cup to draw attention to the political situation inside Iran.

The match itself came after a logistically fraught build-up for the Iranian squad. Geopolitical tensions with the United States had complicated their preparations, forcing the team to train in Mexico before crossing the border into the US on Sunday night, just hours before their opening fixture.

The contrast between the players’ emotional display during the anthem and the protests taking place yards away illustrated the complex relationship between sport, national identity, and politics that has followed Iran’s national team for years — and showed no sign of fading as the tournament began.