Iran’s national football team arrived in Mexico ahead of the World Cup wearing gold “#168” pins on their jackets, a symbol honoring 168 children killed in a school strike during the early phase of the conflict.

Iran’s FIFA World Cup participation has been marked by controversy, including visa issues that led to several staff being denied entry while the team was cleared to travel and based in Mexico for matches in the U.S.

On arrival, players wore “#168” badges honoring 168 children allegedly killed during the 2026 Iran–US conflict.

The gesture has sparked debate over FIFA’s ban on political messaging, with officials yet to comment and scrutiny growing over when the symbol was introduced.