Protests in Los Angeles as Iranian Soccer Team Arrives for 1st World Cup Match

Iranian soccer players walk onto the pitch on the eve of their FIFA World Cup match against New Zealand in Inglewood, Calif., on June 14, 2026. Andre Penner/AP

Iranian Americans protested against the regime in Tehran as the Iranian soccer team arrived in Los Angeles for their first World Cup match against New Zealand on June 15.

As the team arrived at the Los Angeles Galaxy’s training ground in Carson, a small group of Iranian Americans shouted, “Down with terrorists!”