Iran team under regime shadow at 2026 World Cup as activists warn of propaganda | OneFootball

Iranian activists say the national team is being used for political propaganda at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, four years after the Qatar anthem protest. According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, sections of the diaspora see the squad as a tool to project normality and popular backing.

Activists including Mediss Tavakkoli and Alborz Parsi argue the authorities have tightened control since Qatar to deter dissent. Tavakkoli points to players displaying 168 insignia in memory of those killed in US airstrikes, which she views as exploited for propaganda.

The team’s image is being fortified on and off the pitch, with a base in Mexico and a reduced entourage for matches on US soil. Opposition figures say requests to FIFA include allowing only the Islamic Republic’s anthem and the state-recognised flag inside stadiums.

Amid war with the United States and internal fracture, symbols have become a political battleground around Iran’s participation. Many opponents back the historic lion and sun banner rather than the state flag.

Los Angeles is seen as especially sensitive, with an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 people of Iranian origin in the metro area. Matches there and in Seattle are expected to become a stage for diaspora demands.

Parsi anticipates many opposition flags and anti-regime symbols, noting the government cannot fully control US stadium atmospheres. Many plan to attend to protest rather than support the team.

The bond between parts of society and the national side has frayed, with support now read by some as endorsing the Islamic Republic. Players face pressure due to family in Iran, and Iran is said to want press conferences limited to sport, with some awkward players kept away. Despite this, activists believe the tournament could expose contradictions, as an organised diaspora complicates the regime narrative.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo