During the World Cup match between Iran and New Zealand held Monday night at SoFi Stadium, some fans tried to bring old Iranian flags into the stadium.
There were also fans carrying the current Iranian flag inside the stadium. While a large crowd supporting Iran was noticeable in the stands, a small group carrying the old flags also stood out.
Security personnel stopped some fans at the entrance and asked them to change their clothing. It was reported that some fans arrived wearing white t-shirts with the old flag, and they were asked to cover the shirts with jackets, remove them, or turn them inside out.
An urgent appeal made on match day in Los Angeles against the flag ban was rejected. The appeal was reportedly against the prohibition of old symbols being brought into the stadium.
It was also reported that a small group carrying the old flag booed during the Iranian national anthem and celebrated New Zealand’s early goal during the match.