A group of Iranian activists has launched a digital platform designed to display the Lion and Sun flag and political messages inside 2026 World Cup stadiums after FIFA restricted the symbol’s entry, according to comments by a former national boxing team captain.
The platform, called IranSync, synchronizes the screens of mobile phones held by spectators to create large coordinated images and messages across sections of a stadium, Salar Gholami told Iran International.
“We created a system that allows people to display unified images and messages without bringing physical banners or flags into the stadium,” Gholami said.
According to Gholami, users do not need to install an application and can access the service through the IranSync website. After participants register, the system generates a design based on the number of people taking part, allowing neighboring phone screens to form a larger image.
Gholami said the platform can be used to display the Lion and Sun flag as well as slogans including “Free Iran,” “Reza Pahlavi,” and “Regime Change for Iran.”
Alternatives after FIFA restrictions
The launch follows efforts by some members of the Iranian diaspora, particularly in the United States, to challenge FIFA’s decision to bar the Lion and Sun flag from World Cup venues and to find alternative ways of displaying the symbol during matches.
Gholami said the project aims to attract international media attention to developments in Iran and prevent the issue from being overshadowed by coverage of the World Cup.
“The presence of international media at the World Cup creates an opportunity to amplify the demands of protesters and bring the voice of the Iranian people to a global audience,” he said.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Iran’s matches scheduled to take place in the United States.
Gholami argued that supporters of the Islamic Republic could seek to use the tournament to improve the regime’s international image, adding that Iranian communities abroad should organize their own visibility campaigns.
During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Islamic Republic sought to prevent the voices of protesters in the Woman, Life, Freedom uprising from being heard in stadiums by sending large numbers of its supporters to the country.
The United States has issued visas to Iran's national football team players and coaching staff, but some members of the delegation have not been granted entry permits.
