Iran Names its 26-man World Cup squad

Iran has finalized its 26-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, heavily featuring 17 home-based players whose domestic clubs have been sidelined since February due to the ongoing regional conflict.

Head coach Amir Ghalenoei’s selections include star forward Mehdi Taremi, who plays for Greece's Olympiakos alongside eight other overseas-based players. However, Taremi’s long-term striking partner, Sardar Azmoun was surprisingly left out of the final roster.

Azmoun was reportedly dropped following a controversial social media post that drew the ire of Iranian authorities. In contrast, his Shabab Al-Ahli teammate Saeid Ezatolahi secured his spot on the team.

The foreign contingent includes five players based in the United Arab Emirates, two in Belgium, one in Russia and Taremi in Greece. Notably, Belgium-based forward Dennis Dargahi, who plays for Standard Liège is listed under his newly acquired Iranian citizenship name instead of his European moniker, Dennis Eckert Ayensa.

Training Relocation and Group Stage Roadmap

Team Melli is currently preparing at a training camp in Antalya, Turkey. The squad is scheduled to depart on Friday for its designated tournament base in Tijuana, Mexico.

Iran was forced to alter its logistical plans just 10 days ago. Due to complex visa issuance delays for entering the United States, the team received emergency FIFA approval to relocate its base from Tucson, Arizona, to Mexico.

Iran will compete in Group G, playing its first two matches in Inglewood, California. They open against New Zealand on June 15, followed by a clash with Belgium on June 21. The team will then travel to Seattle to face Egypt in their final group match on June 26.

An intriguing knockout fixture could be on the horizon; if both Iran and the United States finish second in their respective groups, the geopolitical rivals will face each other in the Round of 32 on July 3 in Arlington, Texas.

Official 26-Man Roster

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor), Hossein Hosseini (Sepahan), Payam Niazmand (Persepolis)

Defenders: Danial Eiri (Malavan), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), Saleh Hardani (Esteghlal), Hossein Kanaani (Persepolis), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Tractor), Milad Mohammadi (Persepolis), Ali Nemati (Foolad), Ramin Rezaeian (Foolad)

Midfielders: Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Saeid Ezatolahi (Shabab Al-Ahli), Mehdi Ghayedi (Al-Nasr), Saman Ghoddos (Kalba), Mohammad Ghorbani (Al-Wahda), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Dender), Mohammad Mohebi (Rostov), Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia (Esteghlal), Mehdi Torabi (Tractor), Aria Yousefi (Sepahan)

Forwards: Ali Alipour (Persepolis), Dennis Dargahi (Standard Liège), Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor), Mehdi Taremi (Olympiakos), Shahriar Moghanlou (Kalba)