The Iran national football team recently arrived at the Mexican border from California, marking its entry into the 2026 World Cup amidst numerous challenges. The players stepped off the plane wearing gold pins in memory of the victims of a missile strike on a girls' school in Iran. This arrival comes as the country is effectively at war with the United States and Israel. Iran's first match in the World Cup is against New Zealand in Inglewood, near Los Angeles, on June 15. The team will then face Belgium on June 21 and close the group stage against Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The Iran national football team will be based in Tijuana, Mexico, between matches and will cross into the United States for their games. Visa and ticket issues, along with cultural disputes, have turned the team's participation into a contentious topic. The team aims to show solidarity and remember the victims by wearing special pins during the matches.