Iran’s sports minister warned FIFA on June 10 that the national football team could walk off the pitch during 2026 World Cup matches if fans display pre-revolution flags or chant political slogans. Ahmad Donyamali said team management would “stop matches” if unofficial symbols, particularly the Lion and Sun flag used before 1979, appeared in stadiums.
The threat landed just as the Iranian squad completed its first training session in Mexico, one of the three co-host nations alongside the US and Canada.
Tickets, protests, and a political powder keg
The Iranian football federation reported that its official ticket allocation for supporters was withdrawn days before the tournament kicked off. That move triggered immediate accusations of political interference, with critics suggesting authorities wanted to control who showed up in the stands.
Iran’s diaspora community, particularly in the US and Canada, has a long history of using international sporting events as platforms for political expression. The Lion and Sun flag, a symbol of pre-Islamic Revolution Iran, has become a common sight at matches involving the national team abroad. Donyamali’s warning appears designed to preempt exactly that scenario.