Iran Soccer players honor alleged child victims before World Cup warmup
Iran soccer players and officials posed with pictures of children allegedly killed by U. S. and Israeli airstrikes before their World Cup warmup in Antalya, Turkey on March 31, 2026 (ET). The gesture occurred ahead of a friendly against Costa Rica at an empty stadium where FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended. Players and staff, including coach Amir Ghalenoei and Iran Football Federation vice president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, held the photographs while singing the national anthem.
Expanded details and scene in Antalya
On March 31, 2026 (ET), Iran’s soccer delegation posed with photographs of children alleged to have been killed in airstrikes, and earlier had displayed small backpacks to honor victims of a deadly strike on an elementary school. The team lineup included coach Amir Ghalenoei and Mehdi Mohammad Nabi, and the stadium in Antalya had no spectators while the match served as a final soccer warmup before the World Cup. There were no spectators at the stadium in Antalya but FIFA President Gianni Infantino was present at the soccer warmup. More than 165 people were killed in the Feb. 28 strike on an elementary school, most of them children, a strike the U. S. military is investigating; neither the United States nor Israel has accepted responsibility. Iranian government and soccer officials say they do not want to boycott the World Cup co-hosted by the U. S., Canada and Mexico, but they also say the war started by the U. S. and Israel makes travel to the U. S. impossible for the national side.
Soccer: Reactions from officials
FIFA President Gianni Infantino met the Iranian delegation and wrote, “FIFA will continue to support the team to ensure the best possible conditions as they prepare for the World Cup. ” Infantino traveled from Florida to Antalya and spoke with team members after the friendly. The players’ gesture has dominated international attention around the soccer team’s preparations. The Iran ambassador in Mexico City said the country asked FIFA to move the three U. S. -based group-stage games to Mexico after U. S. President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending, citing safety concerns. The U. S. military has said it would never target civilians while it investigates the elementary school strike. Iran Football Federation vice president Mehdi Mohammad Nabi and coach Amir Ghalenoei joined players and staff in holding the photographs during the anthem.
What’s next
The central question now is whether Iran will play its three scheduled group-stage matches and whether FIFA will approve any venue changes as the tournament approaches. FIFA has signaled it wants the tournament to go ahead as scheduled and Infantino has emphasized there is only “Plan A. ” Iranian officials sought relocation of the U. S. -based fixtures, and the soccer federation will continue discussions with FIFA and with governments over travel and security. Observers will watch for decisions from FIFA and statements from Iranian officials that could settle whether the soccer team will travel to the United States for its World Cup fixtures. Expect further statements in the coming days about the soccer delegation’s itinerary and any FIFA rulings.
