US3 min(s) read
Reason Iran footballers were wearing #168 badges as they landed for FIFA World Cup
Iran's national team drew attention upon arriving in Tijuana, Mexico, on Sunday ahead of the World Cup after players were seen wearing lapel badges marked "#168."
The badge, designed to resemble a social media hashtag, references what Iranian officials say was the number of children killed at an elementary school on the opening day of the U.S.-Iran war on February 28, 2026. According to Iran's foreign ministry, the figure commemorates the victims of that attack.
Iran's national team make statement before World Cup
The gesture comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding reports about the strike. The New York Times, citing U.S. officials and individuals familiar with preliminary findings, reported that an ongoing military investigation concluded the United States was responsible for the missile attack.
However, neither Donald Trump nor the U.S. government has publicly confirmed those findings.
Interestingly, the Iranian squad was not wearing the badges when they departed their training camp in Antalya, Turkey, on Saturday.
During the journey, which included a refueling stop in Spain, the badges were added to players' dark blue jackets and were visible when they arrived in Mexico before heading to their hotel.
Whether the badges violate FIFA regulations still remains unclear.
Because the players were not participating in an official match or team event when they wore them, the situation falls into something of a gray area.
However, the incident has raised questions about whether political messaging could become an issue during the tournament as geopolitical tensions continue.
FIFA regulations state that "equipment must not have any political, religious or personal slogans, statements or images" and warn that players or teams may face sanctions from either FIFA or competition organizers.
The rules apply not only to players but also to officials in the technical area. If head coach Amir Ghalenoei or other staff members were to wear similar badges during official activities, they could potentially face disciplinary action.
FIFA's stance on political statements
FIFA's guidelines acknowledge that political issues can be difficult to define, noting that political infringements are "less clear" in some circumstances.
However, the regulations specifically prohibit "slogans, statements or images" relating to "any person(s), living or dead" or "any specific political act/event."
The Athletic has reportedly contacted FIFA seeking clarification on whether wearing the badges while travelling to the World Cup constitutes a rules violation. The publication also asked the Iranian Football Federation whether players intend to continue wearing the badges during the tournament.
This is not the first time Iran's national team has used public displays to commemorate victims linked to the war.
Before a friendly match against Nigeria during the March international break, Iranian players held school bags during the national anthem as a tribute to the children who died.
A few days later, ahead of a game against Costa Rica, members of the squad displayed photographs of victims, including children, as well as images of sporting and cultural sites damaged in bombing raids.
Although those actions were presented as acts of remembrance, they also appeared to test FIFA's restrictions on political displays.
Following those incidents, FIFA told The Athletic that any potential disciplinary action would be handled under its disciplinary code. No formal punishment was ultimately announced.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino was present at the Costa Rica match and witnessed the display, which took place in a stadium where FIFA branding was prominently displayed.
More recently, before warm-up matches against Gambia and Mali in Turkey ahead of their departure for Mexico, Iranian players stood during the national anthem with their right hands placed across their chests, another symbolic gesture that attracted attention as the team prepared for the World Cup.
.webp_vBqgAR?tr=cr-242.0.1293.1051,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.jpg_I4Ebof?tr=cr-0.338.2730.3068,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.jpg_xKEaT0?tr=cr-0.328.2730.3058,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
.webp_vBqgAR?tr=cr-242.0.1293.1051,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
.jpg_I4Ebof?tr=cr-0.338.2730.3068,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)
.jpg_xKEaT0?tr=cr-0.328.2730.3058,f-webp,q-70,w-1024)