Judge upholds – A Los Angeles County judge upheld FIFA’s ban on Iran’s pre-revolutionary “Lion and Sun” flag at World Cup matches, denying an emergency request just hours before Iran plays New Zealand at SoFi Stadium. Despite the ruling, some fans brought the flag inside.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The moments right before kickoff were filled with a familiar hope for Iran’s supporters: that a flag could still travel with them into the stadium.
But hours before Iran was set to play New Zealand in Los Angeles, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge denied an emergency move to block FIFA’s ban on the country’s pre-revolutionary flag, leaving fans facing a ban on the symbol inside World Cup grounds.
The decision came from Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin. The Institute for Voice of Liberty and Iranian fan Sam Kermanian had asked Kin for a temporary restraining order against FIFA’s restriction. Kin rejected the request, issuing a blunt line on the limits of speech in the specific setting of stadium rules.
“Free speech is incredibly important. it is sacred. a bedrock of our society. but it is not without limitation. such as private actor. on private property. and as shown by previous cases. regulating in reasonable way. I deny the application,” Kin said in rejecting the request, according to The Athletic.
Even after the ruling, the fight over the flag didn’t fully end at the gates. Several fans inside SoFi Stadium were still carrying the banned flag. The emblem features a lion and the sun in the center rather than the symbol of the Islamic Republic.
Kermanian’s attorney, Shahrokh Mokhtarzadeh, said Kin’s decision applied only to the request for a restraining order. “The pending lawsuit is not over yet,” Mokhtarzadeh said in an email.
Kin’s timing mattered. Iran’s match against New Zealand was set for Los Angeles, which has the largest Iranian population outside of Iran, and it was slated in the same venue that has become a focal point for identity, politics, and fan expression at this tournament.
Iran still had more matches in the region: against Belgium on Sunday, June 21, followed by a game in Seattle against Egypt on June 26.
The legal challenge began last week, when the Institute for Voice of Liberty and Kermanian sued FIFA. They described the pre-revolutionary flag as “protected symbolic and political speech. ” arguing that the ban infringes on the kind of expression fans believe they should be allowed to bring into the stands.
For supporters, the history embedded in the design is part of its power. The flag is associated with the Shah-led regime that was overthrown in 1979. Some fans see it as a symbol of resistance to Iran’s current rulers.
FIFA, however, treats that meaning as part of the reason it should be restricted. FIFA’s list of prohibited items includes “banners, flags, flyers, apparel and other paraphernalia that are of a political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature.” FIFA considers the Lion and Sun flag to be political.
The judge also took issue with how the case frames where the dispute takes place. According to The Athletic, Kin said a stadium is not a public area like, say, a park or a street.
Mokhtarzadeh said he respected the judge’s role while disagreeing with how the interests were weighed. “While I was disappointed with the Court’s ruling, I respected the ruling as the Honorable Judge Curtis A. Kin, gave us a careful and fair analysis of the issues,” Mokhtarzadeh said. “I disagreed with his balancing of interests, the right to free speech by attendees vs. FIFA’s terms and conditions forcing the attendees to waive their free speech rights to attend such games.”.
The pressure around the flag has not been limited to this tournament. The Lion and Sun flag was also at issue during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. which occurred during the “Women. Life. Freedom” protests. Some fans had their flags confiscated there, while others managed to get them into games and displayed them.
The same emblem. the same argument over symbolic expression. and a single sports venue built on rules it says are non-negotiable—now faced a new courtroom deadline in Los Angeles. For Iran’s fans, the stadium became more than a place to watch a match. It became the front line of a debate they say is bigger than football. and one that. for now. FIFA’s terms continue to set the boundaries.
FIFA ban Iranian flag Lion and Sun flag Curtis A. Kin SoFi Stadium World Cup Institute for Voice of Liberty Sam Kermanian Mokhtarzadeh Tehrangeles