The Iranian national team created a poignant image before their friendly match against Nigeria in Belek, Turkey, last Friday by placing school bags on the ground while standing for the national anthem, in remembrance of female students who died in the country's violent incident.
On 28 March 2026, before the friendly match between Iran and Nigeria in Turkey, this gesture followed an airstrike on an elementary school in southern Iran that killed more than 165 people, mostly students, causing nationwide heartbreak.
Iranian authorities identified the school "Shajareh Tayyebeh" as the attack site, reporting over 175 deaths including children and teachers, while the United States and Israel both denied any involvement in the attack.
Images of players holding pink and purple school bags became a symbol of the lost students and conveyed a message to the international community about the tragedy.
In the match, Iran lost 1-2 to Nigeria amid a tense atmosphere fueled by the off-field situation.
Meanwhile, uncertainty is affecting Iran’s path to the 2026 World Cup, with reports that the Iranian Football Federation is discussing with FIFA the possibility of moving their home matches to Mexico due to ongoing security concerns from unresolved conflicts.