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Football upstages politics as Iranians rally behind their team at World Cup
Key takeaways
- In opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles, Iran’s Team Melli gets cheers from thousands of anti-regime supporters.
- That was the prediction of Iranian fan Parsa Tafreshi, who had travelled from New York to Los Angeles to see Iran take on New Zealand on Monday.
- The game ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw, and each time Iran – known as Team Melli – scored, the stadium erupted in deafening celebrations.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
In opener against New Zealand in Los Angeles, Iran’s Team Melli gets cheers from thousands of anti-regime supporters.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Iran's players pose for a team photo before the 2026 World Cup Group G football match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium, June 15 [Frederic J Brown/AFP]By Ali Harb Published On 16 Jun 202616 Jun 2026Los Angeles – “I’m sure when we score a goal today, everyone will be cheering.”
That was the prediction of Iranian fan Parsa Tafreshi, who had travelled from New York to Los Angeles to see Iran take on New Zealand on Monday.
Article preview — originally published by Al Jazeera. Full story at the source.
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