Religion, politics and class: conflict and contestation in the development of football in Iran

In recent years Iranian football has become an overdetermined site of social contestation. Almost every institution within civil and political society attempts to impose its own agenda on football. The game has become a highly charged arena where contending factions carry out a curious war by proxy, since it is not in their interest to declare open hostilities. This study charts the development of various class, religious, racial and gender conflicts within Iranian football. In the process, it sheds light on the process of nation building, the relationship between ‘church’ and state and the social conflict that has shaped Iran. I conclude by suggesting that the mullah‐bourgeoisie's inability to control and discipline football crowds is indicative of a more general loss of authority throughout Iranian society.