As Iran launched its World Cup campaign amid a tense political backdrop, a surge of misleading images and claims circulated online, suggesting the team was making political statements on the pitch. One circulated photo, falsely depicting an Iranian player carrying a pink backpack, was portrayed as a tribute to Iranian schoolgirls reportedly killed in Minab during the early stages of the US‑Iran conflict. Another viral image misrepresented the squad with purple backpacks during a match, claiming it was a current World Cup scene when it actually stemmed from a friendly against Nigeria held earlier in the year.
Following a 2‑2 draw against New Zealand in Los Angeles, online posts alleged that the Iranian side was sending politicised messages. An AI‑generated image of a player with a pink backpack was captioned “paying tribute to the 168 girls murdered by Donald Trump,” amassing millions of views on X. The claim was unsubstantiated, and the U.S. military has not released any findings regarding the alleged Minab incident.
Another widespread claim asserted that forwards Mohamed Mohebi made a “threatening” weapon‑like gesture during a goal celebration. No evidence has emerged that FIFA is investigating the incident, and Mohebi has stated that the hand signal was a spontaneous celebration without political intent. Fans worldwide pointed out that similar celebratory gestures are common in football.
The controversy unfolds as Iran competes in a World Cup hosted by a nation involved in ongoing military tensions with the country. The team’s coach described Iran as “the most oppressed team” in the tournament. Visa complications and a relocation of the team’s base camp to Mexico have further disrupted preparations, intensifying online debate about the intersection of politics and sport during the squad’s participation.
