Iran have named their preliminary World Cup squad as they prepare to face New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt in Group G.
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has named a 30-man preliminary squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Mehdi Taremi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Saman Ghoddos, Ehsan Hajsafi, and Alireza Beiranvand included. Sardar Azmoun was left out of the initial list.
The squad includes four goalkeepers, nine defenders, 10 midfielders, and seven forwards. Taremi leads the attack, while Beiranvand, Hajsafi, Jahanbakhsh, and Ghoddos give Iran an experienced core.
Iran held a public send-off in Tehran before the tournament, where the team’s World Cup kit was unveiled. The squad will continue preparations at a training camp in Turkey before relocating to the United States.
FIFA held talks with Iranian football officials over operational concerns, including visas, security, and travel arrangements. Iran had previously raised 10 issues with FIFA.
Team Melli will play in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. They open their campaign against New Zealand, before facing Belgium and then Egypt.
The match against Egypt will close Iran’s group-stage campaign, and could prove decisive for both sides’ hopes of reaching the knockout rounds. The fixture is scheduled for June 26 in Seattle.