Iran
AFC · Group G · FIFA Ranking #21
Team Info
| FIFA Code | IRN |
| Coach | Amir Ghalenoei |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Group | Group G |
| FIFA Ranking | #21 |
Group Teams
Belgium
Iran
Egypt
New Zealand
Match Schedule
Iran
vs
New Zealand
Belgium
vs
Iran
Egypt
vs
Iran
📺 Where to watch in Iran
- IRIB Free TV
- beIN Sports Paid TV
Tournament Outlook
Iran return to the World Cup as one of Asia's most battle-hardened qualifiers, having appeared at six of the last eight tournaments — a record of consistency that speaks to the depth and passion of Persian football. Team Melli's identity under coach Amir Ghalenoei is built on defensive resilience and devastating counter-attacks, a formula that has troubled the world's best: they took Spain to the wire in 2018 and scored against England in 2022. Mehdi Taremi, now at Inter Milan, leads the line with the kind of elite finishing and intelligent movement that terrifies top defenders. Sardar Azmoun's pace and Alireza Jahanbakhsh's experience provide additional firepower, while the midfield axis offers tireless running and tactical discipline. Iran's strength lies in their collective organisation — every player understands their role within a compact, hard-to-break-down structure that thrives on set-pieces and transitional moments. With perhaps their most talented squad in decades, featuring multiple players in Europe's top leagues, Team Melli have a genuine opportunity to reach the knockout rounds and make a statement about the growing quality of Asian football on the world stage.
Key Players
World Cup History
All-Time World Cup Record
Iran's World Cup journey began in Argentina 1978, when Team Melli became one of the first Asian nations to qualify for the modern tournament, earning a historic 1–1 draw with Scotland in Córdoba. A twenty-year absence ended at France 1998, where Iran produced one of the most politically charged matches in World Cup history — a 2–1 victory over the United States, with pre-match handshakes and flower exchanges symbolising a moment of diplomacy amid decades of tension. That win, sealed by goals from Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavikia, remains Iran's most celebrated World Cup moment. Since then, Team Melli have become Asia's most consistent qualifiers, appearing at every World Cup from 2006 to 2022. The results have followed a familiar pattern — competitive in the group stage but never progressing beyond it. Iran drew with Portugal 1–1 at Russia 2018 and came within minutes of beating Argentina at Brazil 2014, narrowly losing 1–0 to Lionel Messi's late strike. In Qatar 2022, a 2–0 win over Wales was offset by a 6–2 opening defeat to England. Across six appearances and 18 matches, Iran's three wins and four draws reflect a team that punches above its weight. In 2026, they aim to finally break through to the knockout rounds.