For Iran's team, the FIFA World Cup has been marred by fraught politics at home, the war with the US, and tensions over whether they would actually be able to set foot on US soil to play their games.
Iran's Football Federation will lodge an official protest with FIFA after the United States reportedly denied the national team's request to travel to Los Angeles two days before their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match against Belgium, citing geopolitical tensions and previous visa issues.
Iran launched their World Cup campaign in Los Angeles amid protests by Iranian-Americans, highlighting deep divisions over Tehran's government even as Team Melli drew passionate support from fans in the stands.
Instead of pride, many Iranian-Americans feel shame about the Iran team's participation in the World Cup and are demanding that FIFA boots the country out of the competition, protesters said in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Iran threatened to halt its matches at the World Cup if unauthorised flags are displayed or slogans targeting the national team are chanted at stadiums, Iranian media reported, citing Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali, following criticism of the team's presence at the tournament.
Seattle's LGBTQ community members say they hope that this Friday's World Cup "Pride Match" between Egypt and Iran, two countries where homosexuality is criminalised, can be an opportunity to change minds.
Iran's World Cup campaign has left many Iranian-Americans torn between supporting Team Melli and opposing the country's leadership, highlighting deep divisions within Los Angeles' influential Iranian diaspora.
The Iranian football team is facing significant travel restrictions in the US during the World Cup, requiring them to enter and leave within 24 hours of matches. This has led the Football Federation of Iran to lodge a formal complaint with FIFA, citing concerns over fair play and technical preparation, while US authorities maintain the measures are for safety and security.
Iran's coach and their key player said the national team will strive to bring joy and unity to Iranian people around the world, despite war and other tensions making their FIFA World Cup adventure uniquely challenging.
Iran's soccer team arrived in the United States for the first time at this World Cup on Sunday, landing at Los Angeles International Airport and holding a press conference on the same day that a peace deal between the two nations was announced.
Ten-man Belgium dominated possession but could not break down a disciplined Iranian defence, with goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand producing a string of saves to preserve the result in the Group G encounter.
Argentina's football players displayed a political banner claiming "The Falklands are Argentine" after their World Cup semi-final win against England, potentially violating FIFA's code of conduct.
At the Iran-Belgium FIFA World Cup match, least one attendee wearing a pre-revolutionary flag shirt was detained for trying to run onto the pitch and Iranian player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said after the match that he doesn't want to keep focusing on the challenging situations faced by his team.
Iran twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with New Zealand in their opening World Cup match on Monday after an end-to-end contest played against the backdrop of Iranian fan protests against the government in Tehran.
Protests on multiple fronts disrupted the atmosphere outside the FIFA Congress in Vancouver on Thursday, as demonstrators raised sharply different concerns over global politics and local issues.
Former Iranian water polo player Reza Soleimani expresses devastation over the execution of wrestler Saleh Mohammadi and voices support for Iranian athletes protesting against the government.
Iran's men's national soccer team wore black armbands and held schoolbags as their anthem played ahead of a match in Turkey on Friday, in what a team official said was a protest over the killing of schoolgirls on the first day of the Iran war.
Many Iranian fans on Monday wore t-shirts or waved signs printed with the mantra of the uprising: 'Woman Life Freedom' in the colours of the Iranian national flag.
Debutants, heat and distance shape mood ahead of 2026 World Cup draw
Loud jeers were heard from Iranian supporters as the anthem played, with the team singing quietly as it played.
The question nobody seems to ask is why a democracy should be silent when many of its citizens are concerned about the way the US is deviating from its traditional ways of consultation, cooperation and collaboration and moving away from traditional allies, asks Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
The United States and Iran severed formal relations in 1980 after the Revolution and ties were hostile when their soccer teams clashed in the 1998 World Cup.
Iran's winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh said on Thursday that the focus of the team will be on the World Cup, not political issues related to the country's nationwide protests.
Defender Ehsan Hajsafi became on Sunday the first member of Iran's national team to speak out from the World Cup in Doha in apparent support of anti-government protests at home, saying players should be the voice of those suffering.
Santiago Sanchez was last heard from on Oct. 1 when he sent friends a picture of himself on the Iraq-Iran border
Pro-Palestinian sympathies among fans have also spilt into stadiums as four Arab teams compete
Palestinian soccer federation President Jibril Rajoub refused to stand alongside Israel FA Vice-President Basim Sheikh Suliman in a heated moment at the FIFA Congress on Thursday.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar.
The clock on the ceasefire is running out. But everyone's already whispering about round two, possibly as soon as this weekend.
A group of current and former Iranian sportspeople say they have no choice but to turn on their own country, citing what they called state-sponsored violence and discrimination against ordinary Iranians, especially women.
When everyone has footage and no one can verify it, the loudest voice wins, notes Prem Panicker who begins a daily blog on the War in the Middle East.
The stadiums at Qatar offer plenty of wisdom and chutzpah on how to take our own lives forward.
IMAGES from the FIFA World Cup Group B match played between Portugal and Iran in Saransk on Monday
Iran's World Cup campaign was all but finished even before it started.
Iran's win over Wales and the U.S. team's goalless stalemate against England set up a tantalising final round of Group B matches.
The severe backlash that the Indian cricket team faced before its Asia Cup clash against Pakistan was a major contributing factor to the 'No Handshake Policy.
the countries assured of places in the 32-team field for next year's World Cup finals in Russia after Tuesday's qualifiers.
From the debate-arousing introduction of VAR to maximum number of Penalties to the superb Ronaldo, here are the A to Z of the ongoing 2018 World Cup
After the match, jubilant Iranians danced and cheered as they streamed out of the ground.
Photos posted by both outlets appeared to show her with no headscarf during the tournament. Khabarvarzeshi also posted a photo of her wearing a headscarf but without saying if it was taken at the same event.
