Iran’s national football team arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup wearing gold-colored “#168” lapel pins as a tribute to victims of the Minab school tragedy. The number represents the 168 people who were killed in a strike on an elementary school in Minab, southern Iran, earlier this year, with many of the victims reported to be children.
The symbolic gesture drew international attention as Team Melli began its World Cup campaign preparations. Players wore the pins on their jackets while arriving at the airport, turning the moment into a quiet tribute to those who lost their lives.
The Iranian squad has previously honored the victims through other commemorative actions, and the “#168” symbol has become associated with remembrance of the Minab tragedy.
