NEWYou can now listen to Pakinomist articles!
A video from Monday’s Iran-New Zealand World Cup match at SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles appeared to show one man’s Israeli flag being confiscated while neighboring Palestinian flags were allowed to remain in the stands.
The Instagram reel, posted by @blackandjewishunity, showed a man, who later identified himself to Pakinomist Digital as Rony, with an Israeli flag draped over his shoulders, being approached by two members of Apex Private Security at the stadium. An employee said that “the house, which is the facility here, is asking for this flag to be removed” for Rony’s “safety.”
“Why can’t you remove that flag?” Ron asked, pointing to a Palestinian flag just two rows behind him. “You don’t take down this flag, but you take down my flag?
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist
Fans of Iran hold Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel flags during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in Los Angeles, California on June 15, 2026. (Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
“It seems that a little anti-Semitism is playing a role here.”
Romy told security that if the Palestinian flag was removed, he would remove his Israeli flag. Another employee said that if Rony did not give up his Israeli flag, he would have to leave the stadium.
The other employee said it was the “urge” of apparently nearby FIFA staff to have the Israeli flag removed while he and Rony both had their hands on the flag.
“I don’t make the rules… I just do what I’m told,” the staffer said, adding that Rony would be able to get the flag back at a later date.
Later in the video, a female Apex security member said, “The only flags that are allowed to be out are the teams that are playing.” When told that the Palestinian flag had not been confiscated, she replied: “Oh, I don’t know.”
Neither Israel nor the Palestinian men’s national team is in the World Cup. Only Israel has qualified in each team’s history dating back to 1970.
When Rony tried to get his flag back, he approached a first responder and said security said they would give him his flag back. The first responder replied: “No, they didn’t. FIFA took it.”
Representatives for FIFA and SoFi Stadium did not immediately respond to emails from Pakinomist Digital. The Los Angeles host committee deferred Pakinomist Digital to FIFA.
Rony told Pakinomist Digital that he is a Los Angeles resident who surprised his father with World Cup tickets as “avid” soccer fans. Rony said he roots for Team USA and wants to attend a USA game at SoFi Stadium.
“We love our boys,” said Rony.
Rony said he didn’t expect backlash from fans other than the usual “bad apples giving us a hard time.”
“Even when we entered the stadium, we didn’t have any problems with anyone… We actually got a lot of love and support. I didn’t expect this result at all,” said Rony.
Iranian fans display Palestinian and Iranian flags ahead of the 2026 World Cup Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 15, 2026. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
IRAN WC TEAM FORCED TO LEAVE US AFTER TOURNAMENT OPENER IN APPARENT CHANGE OF PLANS
Rony said he was told staff “pointed at me and singled me out” in a sold-out stadium.
“I saw flags from all over the world. There are flags from Lebanon, Mexico, everywhere, from every part of the world, there are flags. So it surprised me that they did that to me and singled me out.”
Rony said he was also told by security that “the FIFA boss didn’t care about” the Palestinian flag behind him, “and they only cared about my flag in particular.”
“They said they don’t have a problem with their flag and they only have a problem with ours,” Rony said, citing a “double standard. “They had no marching orders to take their flag, or anyone else’s flag. It was pretty embarrassing…
“We thought we were living in America in 2026, not Nazi Germany in the 1930s.”
Rony mentioned that most of the stadium staff and security were “apologetic and on my side” and even “confused myself.”
“We’re just proud Israeli Jews who are just out there like everyone else who wants to have a good time and represent our country,” Rony said.
Getty Images captured images of a Palestinian flag at both the Brazil-Morocco and France-Senegal games on Saturday and Tuesday, both of which took place at MetLife Stadium.
FIFA Rule 4.2.23 states that World Cup participants may only use flags “in a celebratory and friendly manner” and “at the request of the event organizers, ticket holders shall immediately remove, stop demonstrating and/or allow the confiscation of flags, banners or placards.” FIFA also prohibits “materials” that are “political… in nature”. A judge in Los Angeles upheld FIFA’s ban on Iran’s “lion and sun” flag, which was used until 1980 after the Islamic revolution.
Fans of Iran pose with a pre-revolutionary Iranian flag alongside an Israel flag during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G match between Iran and New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium on June 15, 2026. (Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pakinomist APP
Many Israeli flags were seen throughout the game between Iran and New Zealand amid the war between the two Middle Eastern countries. Iran’s next match will be on Sunday, also at the SoFi Stadium, against Belgium.
