Iran has been one of the World Cup's major talking points before even kicking a ball.
Geopolitical tension between Iran and the United States put their participation under scrutiny, while the team also changed its training base amid a complicated build-up.
Now another issue has drawn attention before their opener, with a lawsuit over a flag linked to Iran's past ending in a late ruling in Los Angeles.
Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images
According to The Athletic, FIFA's ban on pre-revolutionary Iranian flags at the World Cup was upheld after an emergency hearing in Los Angeles on Monday.
The case centred on a flag that looks similar to Iran's official design but carries a lion and sun symbol in the middle.
The flag is historically connected to Iran's Shah-led regime, which was removed during the 1979 revolution, and remains politically sensitive for many Iranians.
The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by the Institute for Voice of Liberty and an Iran supporter called Sam Kermanian.
They challenged the ban, but Judge Curtis A. Kin ruled that FIFA should be allowed to keep it in place.
That means the flag controversy will remain unresolved from the supporters' perspective as Iran begin their tournament in California today.
Iran face New Zealand in a few hours at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. A win would put them top of Group G, after Egypt and Belgium drew 1-1 in the other game.
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