Video of the Iranian team at World Cup opening ceremony is AI-generated
- Published on June 17, 2026 at 07:05
- 2 min read
- By Vishesh SINGH, AFP India
Iran's team is competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the backdrop of Tehran's war against the United States, but a video shared by its diplomatic mission on social media does not show the squad's entrance at the tournament. The scene in the clip is different from actual ceremonies held by the three host nations -- the United States, Canada and Mexico -- and shows signs it was AI-generated.
"Meet Iran's National Team at the FIFA World Cup," says the caption of a video posted by Iran's Embassy in the UK on X on June 12, 2026.
It appears to show floats entering a football stadium flanked by crowds and fireworks as Iranian flags appear on screens.
Iran arrived at the tournament under the shadow of a bitter diplomatic row, after the United States -- in military conflict with Iran for months until a peace deal was announced on June 14 -- refused to issue visas for some team support staff (archived link).
The team was originally intending to base its training camp in Tucson, Arizona, but moved it at the 11th hour to Tijuana in Mexico due to the visa and logistical issues.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles where Iran played its opening match against New Zealand on June 15, snatching a 2-2 draw (archived link).
Coach Amir Ghalenoei said his side is the "most oppressed team in the World Cup" after his players were originally allowed to stay until lunchtime on the following day to recover, but were suddenly told they must travel back to Mexico immediately (archived link).
The footage was also shared by X accounts of Iran's embassy in Armenia and consulate in Hyderabad, India -- where it has been reposted hundreds of times combined. It also appeared in posts on Facebook and YouTube.
"Come on Iran, do us all proud," one user commented, while another wrote: "Wishing them a good outing and the spirit to endure hostility from the host nation."
But the video shows signs it was fabricated.
A closer look at the footage reveals various visual inconsistencies -- including the sudden appearance of a float at the 42-second mark.
Canada, Mexico and the United States held their own opening ceremonies, each featuring music performance and an opening match, but none included ceremonial floats of any countries (archived link).
AFP analysed the video using Google's SynthID detection tool, which confirms it was created using the tech giant's AI tools (archived link).
AFP has debunked another false claim related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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