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INGLEWOOD, Calif. — When a group of chanting, flag-carrying, visibly agitated protesters made their way toward SoFi Stadium before Iran's World Cup opener against New Zealand last week, demonstrating against a national team they portrayed as an instrument of the controversial regime back home, their only competition was one unfortunate soul sweating inside an oversized panda costume distributing free keychains.
More voices were competing for attention ahead of Sunday's clash with Belgium.
A small gathering of fans assembled near the stadium's northern entrance to offer a counterpoint to the anti-regime demonstrations.
Standing before a banner accusing FIFA of orchestrating "War Games," supporters demanded an end to "U.S. war on Iran" while displaying the post-revolutionary flag and a pink backpack. This was a reference to the protest staged by the Iran national team before a March friendly against Nigeria, following a missile strike in southern Iran that claimed approximately 165 lives, predominantly children, as reported by AP.
Fewer than 100 yards across the road, a cluster of anti-regime protesters wore the FIFA-banned flag, which features a sun and lion at its center. The message was straightforward: "They are IRGC team, not Iran team," Sara, 34, told Sports Illustrated. "It doesn't matter what they say."
"You are here on a historic day," Sara told me.
A small group wound through the network of metal barriers to truly underscore that sense of history: what other World Cup match has ever seen fans from the same country directly confronting fellow nationals over an ideological divide during an active global conflict?
One anti-regime supporter took it upon himself to loudly express his contempt for what he called a "glorifying of murderers" through a megaphone just steps away from the opposing group of fans.
"For many years, the civilized country of Iran has been a united nation," Iran striker Mehdi Taremi said earlier this month. "We want to showcase that unity." Yet division remained the defining theme of Sunday's fixture.
Protests Contained Outside, Confused Inside
SoFi Stadium's security team clearly embraced the principle of learning from past experience. Having seemingly been caught off guard by the intensity of supporters who gathered before the New Zealand match, there was an evident effort toward preventive measures on Sunday.
The growing crowd that had assembled near the Forum's parking lot had intended to move their demonstration onto stadium grounds, only to be firmly turned away. California Highway Patrol calmly yet decisively informed protesters they would face arrest if they crossed the street. As one officer explained to Sports Illustrated, a permit had been obtained to voice grievances from the vast stretch of empty concrete, but that authorization did not extend to the stadium and its immediate surroundings.
Those who managed to gather outside Gate B were contained by a line of bicycles and the natural boundary of the sidewalk's edge.
Inside the stadium, the dominant sentiment was one of backing for the national team—though not without exception. Every Iran player displayed on the futuristic LED screen encircling the roof of this arena received a pregame cheer from the crowd, while manager Amir Ghalenoei was met with boos.
The national anthem was met with a mixture of competing boos and cheers, yet nearly everyone not dressed in Belgium's red appeared to erupt in celebration when Taremi slotted the ball into the bottom corner. Some fans were moved to tears, which took on added significance when VAR ruled that Iran's No. 9 had been offside.
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"The players of the national team play for every Iranian," Taremi said last week. "People have different opinions but we are here as footballers to unite people and we will try to bring joy to all Iranians, irrespective of where they live." As everyone has come to realize this summer, it's far easier said than done.