After months of ‘will they, won’t they,’ the world finally has its answer.
Tonight, Iran will officially take to the field in one of the most politically-charged games the World Cup has ever seen.
Iran open their World Cup Group G campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles. However, it is a fixture that is shaped by events off the pitch and by the ambitions of the two teams seeking a long-awaited breakthrough.
The fixture will be played against the backdrop of the US war with Iran and in a region home to the largest Iranian community outside the country, adding a charged atmosphere to a contest between two nations who have never met at the World Cup.
It marks the first time a nation has competed in a country that it is actively at war with on the World Cup stage.
The matchup takes place one day after the US announced a breakthrough agreement with Iran to end more than three months of conflict.
Yet, tensions are still high amid the buildup to Iran’s opener.
Here, the Daily Mail will bring you all the updates from the action – both on and off the field – from the Group G game.
