FIFA World Cup 2026: Iran Footballers Land In Mexico Wearing Pins In Honour Of 168 Children Killed In Minab Strike

Iranian national football team arrived in Mexico ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign wearing special pins carrying the number 168. The number was not linked to any player or jersey. Instead, it was meant to remember the 168 children who were killed when a US missile struck a school in Minab on February 28.

According to reports, most of the children killed in the strike were young girls. The incident claimed a total of 175 lives. The strike was later confirmed to have been a mistake by the US military.

The players wore the pins as a silent tribute to the victims. Rather than making public statements or holding a press conference, the team chose to express its message through the pins displayed on their clothing when they arrived in Mexico.

The gesture came ahead of Iran's World Cup match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday. The match will take place in the United States, the same country whose military carried out the strike that killed 175 people in Minab.

The move has drawn attention because of the wider political situation surrounding the tournament. According to the report, this is the first FIFA World Cup where a host nation is welcoming a team from a country with which it is currently involved in an active conflict. By wearing the pins, the Iran players ensured that the victims of the Minab strike were remembered as they prepared for the tournament.