Axios

A protester holding a rainbow flag and wearing a Superman T-shirt with messages supporting Ukraine and Iranian women ran onto the pitch Monday during a match between Portugal and Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup 2022.

The big picture: It's the latest act of defiance against the host nation of Qatar, which has faced criticism for human rights abuses — especially violence and discrimination against LGBTQ people.

Gregg Berhalter, the head coach of the U.S. men’s national team, apologized Monday on behalf of his players and staff for a controversial social media post by the U.S. Soccer Federation but maintained that they had no involvement with the post.

Driving the news: Over the weekend the USSF temporarily displayed a post on social media of the Iranian flag without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, a move it said was intended to show "support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights."

The U.S. Soccer Federation in a post on social media over the weekend temporarily displayed the Iranian flag without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, AP reports.

Driving the news: USSF said that the edited photo of the flag was intended to show "support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights," per AP.