Iran Names World Cup Squad Featuring 17 Home-Based Players Amid Regional Tensions

Iran has finalised its 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with 17 home-based players included despite concerns over their lack of recent competitive football due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei has named experienced goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand alongside Hossein Hosseini and Payam Niazmand. The defensive unit includes Ehsan Hajsafi, Hossein Kanaani, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi, Ramin Rezaeian, Saleh Hardani, Ali Nemati and Danial Eiri.

The midfield features a mix of domestic and overseas talent, including Saeid Ezatolahi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mohammad Mohebi, Mehdi Ghayedi, Saman Ghoddos, Mohammad Ghorbani, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Mehdi Torabi, Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia and Aria Yousefi.

Leading the attack is star striker Mehdi Taremi , who plays for Olympiakos in Greece. He is joined by Ali Alipour, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Shahriar Moghanlou and Belgium-based Dennis Dargahi. However, the most notable omission is experienced forward Sardar Azmoun , who partnered Taremi at the 2022 World Cup.

Azmoun was dropped from the national setup earlier this year and has reportedly remained out of contention after a social media post drew criticism from Iranian authorities amid continuing tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States. His absence reflects how political developments have influenced football matters in the country.

Iran's World Cup preparations have also been affected by the regional conflict. Domestic clubs have not played since February, leaving many locally based players short of match practice. The disruption has raised questions about the readiness of a squad heavily reliant on home-based talent.

The team is currently holding a training camp in Antalya, Turkey, before travelling to its tournament base in Tijuana, Mexico. Iran had originally planned to train in Arizona but shifted its base after visa-related complications linked to travel to the United States.

Iran will open its Group G campaign against New Zealand on June 15 before facing Belgium and Egypt. The squad's journey to the World Cup has been shaped by geopolitical tensions, logistical challenges and disrupted domestic football , making its preparations among the most complex in the tournament.