They didn’t even have to say anything to cause controversy shortly after their arrival on the American continent. Iranian football players drew attention to themselves even without it.
10.06.2026 08:34
Photo: JOEBETH TERRIQUEZ / EPA / Profimedia
Football players of Iran after arriving at the airport in Tijuana, Mexico.
When the Iranian soccer team landed in Tijuana, Mexico, before the start of the World Cup, an attentive fan could notice unusual badges on the jackets of the soccer players and members of the implementation team.
Players had badges that read “#168” pinned to their jackets.
The design, paired with a hashtag symbol, commemorates the number of children killed in an attack on an elementary school on the first day of the US-Iran conflict.
On February 28, 2026, according to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Americans hit a girls’ school in the Iranian city of Minab with a missile attack. 168 children lost their lives then.
The New York Times, citing US officials and other sources familiar with the preliminary findings, said an ongoing military investigation concluded that the United States was responsible for the deadly missile attack.
However, neither President Donald Trump nor the US government has yet confirmed this news.
The badges of the Iranians caused a wave of outrage in the US. Several politicians called them a provocation and say that it is not certain that an American missile was responsible for the deadly attack.
As The Athletic points out, while the wearing of badges by Iranian players outside of the match environment is in a gray area, it is a signal that political messages during the tournament could be a problem due to ongoing geopolitical tensions.
“FIFA regulations state that the kit must not contain any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images, or face sanctions from the competition organizer or FIFA. This rule applies to all players and officials in the technical area, so head coach Amir Ghalenoei could face punishment if he were to wear the badge,” writes The Athletic.
The regulations also recognize that political offenses are less clearly definable, but prohibit slogans, statements or images relating to any person, living or dead, and any specific political act or event.
Nevertheless, it is highly likely that the Iranians will not be able to wear the “#168” badges during the championship. They set up camp during the upcoming World Cup in Tijuana, Mexico.
The US and Iran have been at war since the end of February. The Asian country’s players will play their matches in Group G of the World Cup in Inglewood and Seattle, but according to the regulation, they will only be able to enter the US on the day of the match and will have to leave the country on the same day.
Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, confirmed that all Iranian representatives have received entry visas to the US, but 15 members of the implementation team have not. Among them is the president of the Football Federation of Iran (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj.
However, the Iranians believe that all members of the team will receive visas before the opening match against New Zealand, which is scheduled for June 15. The team will also meet Belgium and Egypt in the G-group at the championship.
Before leaving for North America, the Iranian representatives trained in Antalya, Turkey.
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