Iran National Team Pays Tribute to Victims of Air Attack on Primary School

JAKARTA - The players of the Iranian National Team (Timnas) carry small backpacks during the match against Nigeria on Friday, March 27, 2026, local time, in Antalya, Turkey, in honor of the victims of the deadly missile attack on a primary school.

More than 165 people were killed, mostly children, when a February 28, 2026 attack launched by the United States (US) hit a school in southern Iran.

Neither the United States nor Israel has accepted responsibility for the attack, which has drawn harsh criticism from the United Nations and human rights groups. The US military is investigating and says it would never target civilians.

During the national anthem, the Iranian national team honored the memory of the children who were killed by placing small pink and purple school backpacks in front of them.

The video of the ceremony also showed the players wearing black armbands as a mark of respect for those who have died since the war began.

Nigeria beat Iran 2-1 in a match that was a 2026 World Cup warm-up, ahead of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Iran is scheduled to play three group stage matches in June 2026 in the US. Iran's ambassador in Mexico City said they asked FIFA to move the three matches to Mexico after US President Donald Trump prevented the team from attending on security concerns.

The Iranian government and the top officials of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) said they did not want to boycott the 2026 World Cup, but it was impossible for the Iranian national team to go to the US because of the military attack on Iran by Israel and the US.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has dampened Iran's efforts to move its matches, saying it wants the tournament to take place according to schedule.

Meanwhile, separately on Friday, March 27, 2026, an Iranian court threatened to confiscate the property of football player Sardar Azmoun.

According to two local news agencies, this announcement followed a threat from Iran's hardline judiciary chief that authorities plan to seize the assets of celebrities deemed critical of the Government.