The Pitch as a Battleground

A Goal Celebration and the Politics of Intimidation. By Raghu Kondori in The Times of Israel

The Iran–New Zealand World Cup opener in Los Angeles was not merely a football match; it was a public stage on which Iran’s political conflict unfolded before the world. The final 2–2 scoreline mattered, but it was secondary to the spectacle in the stands, where the stadium became an arena of open confrontation between supporters of the regime and those who reject it.

Read the full article on The Times of Israel