Large Protests Expected Outside Iran’s Matches — Security in Focus at LA’s SoFi Stadium

Updated: 2026-06-19 | For real-time information, refer to official announcements.

Iran’s opening match at the 2026 World Cup turned both the pitch and its surroundings into a focal point. On June 15, Iran faced New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, finishing in a 2–2 draw, with Ramin Rezaeian and Mohammad Mohebbi each scoring once for Iran and Eli Just netting a brace to level it for New Zealand. The official attendance was announced as 70,108. Large-scale demonstrations had been anticipated beforehand, but the Iranian expatriate protesters who actually turned up reportedly numbered a little over two hundred — smaller than the “up to several thousand” figures touted earlier by foreign media — though the political atmosphere inside was intense.

Southern California has long been home to a large Iranian-American community, so SoFi naturally became a rallying point for protests and statements. On the day, expatriate groups gathered outside, calling on the world to confront human rights issues under the Iranian regime; inside, fans booed during the national anthem and waved the “Lion and Sun” flag from before the 1979 Islamic Revolution — a flag FIFA has banned from being brought into venues, though it could still be seen on site.

That flag also ended up in court. Before the match, someone petitioned the Los Angeles Superior Court for a temporary restraining order to bar FIFA from refusing entry to, or confiscating flags from, spectators carrying the “Lion and Sun” flag, citing free-speech protections under the California Constitution. However, Judge Curtis A. Kin rejected the petition just hours before kickoff, finding that free speech has its limits within private venues and that a stadium is not a public space in the way a park or street is. In other words, FIFA’s entry rules remained in effect inside SoFi.

For fans here in Canada, what really lies ahead is Iran’s second group-stage match. Also at SoFi Stadium, Iran will face Belgium on Sunday, June 21, with local kickoff at 12 noon (Pacific Time). After the first round, all four teams in Group G (Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand) are tied on 1 point — Belgium and Egypt drew 1–1, Iran and New Zealand drew 2–2 — making this almost a decisive match for advancing, and whether protests flare up outside again is also worth watching.

If you plan to head south to SoFi for the June 21 match, a few practical reminders: if there is a gathering outside, traffic and entry routes around the stadium could be affected, so allow extra time and arrive early, and prioritize public transit (SoFi is close to Metro’s K Line, and temporary traffic restrictions are common on match days). Please buy tickets only through FIFA’s official ticketing platform or authorized channels. As for the exact traffic restrictions, security screening rules, and protest zones, defer to announcements from SoFi Stadium officials and local law enforcement.

Canadian fans not planning to fly to the US can also watch via Canada’s official broadcasts; for details, see this site’s Canada viewing guide.