The U.S.-Iran World Cup matchup puts a spotlight on Iran's protest movement

A woman at a protest in Qatar holds up a sign bearing the name of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Iranian woman whose death in police custody sparked a nationwide protest movement. (Francisco Seco/AP)

Francisco Seco / Francisco Seco

Tuesday’s World Cup match between Iran and the U.S. is going to be widely watched not only for its tournament implications. The game will also serve as a spotlight on the massive human rights protest movement that has swept across Iran this fall.

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets since the September death of a 22-year-old woman in police custody, in what has become perhaps the biggest challenge to the authoritarian regime that has ruled the country since 1979’s Islamic Revolution.

And some Iranian fans hope a victory against the U.S. on Tuesday could generate even more enthusiasm for the anti-government movement.