FIFA faces lawsuit over Iran’s ‘Lion and Sun’ flag ban 2026 World Cup

Dubai: FIFA faces legal threat over planned ban on Iran’s pre-revolution flag at this summer’s World Cup.

Amid a tense geopolitical backdrop, Iran’s World Cup journey has been shaped by ongoing regional conflict, with concerns raised over the team’s safety in the United States and comments from Donald Trump adding to uncertainty.

The World Cup is set to kick off on June 11, with Iran marking the occasion after a pre-tournament rally in Tehran, though uncertainty remains as the country’s FA president Mehdi Taj says the squad still has not secured its visas.

FIFA could now face court action over plans to ban Iran’s pre-revolution flag at World Cup venues across North America this summer, after the Institute for Voices of Liberty raised concerns and warned the issue could escalate to formal proceedings in California state or federal courts.

Speaking late last week, legal counsel Shahrokh Mokhtarzadeh confirmed no reply had been received after three days. He added: “We are preparing to commence appropriate legal proceedings in case of attempts by FIFA to exclude the Lion and Sun flag.”

Last week, reports emerged that official venue guidance will be to prohibit the flag.

When asked directly, FIFA responded by sharing its list of prohibited items, which bars any materials of a “political, offensive, and/or discriminatory nature” but the body did not specify which element of the criteria the flag breaches.

The dispute has sparked strong backlash in the US and among the Iranian diaspora, with the Lion and Sun flag holding significant cultural and emotional meaning as it was removed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Taj has previously said Iran’s World Cup participation depends on a ban on unofficial flags, including the pre-revolution Lion and Sun emblem.

The issue has also drawn political attention, with Trump initially calling for Iran’s removal before later softening his stance, while Iran responded by suggesting the USA should be excluded from the 2026 tournament.

Iran reportedly explored relocating its matches to Mexico, a move supported by President Claudia Sheinbaum, while FIFA later confirmed the team’s training base had been shifted to Tijuana from its original site in Tucson, Arizona.

Iran will play all three group games in the United States, facing New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium at SoFi Stadium on June 21, and Egypt in Seattle on June 26.