Amir Ghalenoei

Iran narrowly missed out on qualifying for the World Cup knockout stages

Team Melli ended its seventh appearance in the tournament after a 1-1 draw in Seattle on Friday against Egypt left them in third place in Group G, with only three points gleaned from three draws

Algeria's Nadhir Benbouali scores their first goal against Jordan

Egypt booked its place in the World Cup knockout stage for the first time after surviving a dramatic late scare to secure a 1-1 draw against Iran on Friday and finish second in Group G

There are more than 200 countries that compete in FIFA, but when Seattle decided to turn a crucial World Cup group finale into an unofficial Pride Match, the soccer gods delivered the ultimate punchline

A draw tonight in Seattle would help set up a situation where Iran plays its next two games at a Canadian stadium, rather than again in the United States, a scenario that would offer the Trump administration a two-week reprieve from the complicated task of trying to host a tournament while imposing unique travel restrictions on just one of the 48 competitors

The Department of Homeland Security relaxed those rules this week, allowing Iran’s team to spend two nights in Seattle before today’s match, although several players complained they were held for extended questioning upon arrival

Iran will prove tricky competition though and could even win the group if they beat Egypt

A draw tonight in Seattle would help set up a situation where Iran plays its next two games at a Canadian stadium, rather than again in the United States, a scenario that would offer the Trump administration a two-week reprieve from the complicated task of trying to host a tournament while imposing unique travel restrictions on just one of the 48 competitors

US eases travel restrictions on Iran World Cup team

Iranian Officials Link National Resilience to Minab Tribute

U.S. Vice President JD Vance revealed new details about ongoing negotiations with Iran, including late-night efforts to reconnect nuclear inspectors and maintain monitoring mechanisms

Iran’s senior envoys left talks in Switzerland on June 22 after a marathon negotiating session with the United States, state media reported, as mediators claimed progress towards a definitive U.S.-Iran deal

Team Melli fail to make their numerical advantage count as both sides settle for a draw

Among the many elements of Iranian society thrown into disarray in late February by joint strikes by the U.S. and Israel was the country’s soccer infrastructure

Iran has expressed frustration over restrictions that allow the team to travel to match venues only within 24 hours of kick-off and require them to depart immediately after games

Team Melli made the 127-mile (204-kilometer) charter flight from Tijuana International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport the day before its opening 2-2 draw against New Zealand on Monday, a typically short trip that team captain Mehdi Taremi said instead took five hours, including security and immigration checks

Iranian football team told to return to Mexico after opening World Cup game

Vozinha’s heroic saves and sacrifice power Cape Verde’s shock draw with Spain

Iran overcomes latest travel snag as Torabi cleared for return to US matches

Defending champion Argentina faces Algeria at 9 p.m. ET, with France playing Senegal at 3 p.m. ET

What made the timing even more remarkable was the geopolitical backdrop

Jonathan Tah and Felix Nmecha showcase faith in post-match moment with opponents

Iranian Americans face an unprecedented World Cup as the US hosts Iran's team amid ongoing conflict between the nations

The head of the Palestinian Football Association is waiting in Mexico City for permission to enter the United States with other federation heads attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Long dismissed as an issue by Fifa president Gianni Infantino, the inevitable consequence of Iran being at war with a co-host of the tournament is rearing its head just two days out from the event starting on Thursday

After departing from their training camp in Turkey a day earlier, the Iran team landed around 5am (1pm BST) on Sunday in the Mexican border city of Tijuana

Iran’s delegation will depart for their World Cup base camp Mexico on Saturday, despite the ongoing ambiguity over their visas for the United States less than two weeks before their opening game

Azmoun, who boasts an impressive record of 57 goals in 91 international appearances, was a significant omission from both the preliminary and final selections

Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals, was left out of coach Amir Ghalenoei's preliminary squad amid local media reports that he had been excluded for disloyalty to the government

With less than three weeks left before their opening match, the team are still waiting for US travel visas despite beginning their final phase of preparations

The domestic Persian Gulf Pro League season was suspended after the United States and Israel launched air strikes on Iran in late February and will not resume until after the World ​Cup

Perhaps the best known is 33-year-old former Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, now with Olympiacos

China repeated its push for the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened, issuing the joint message with America after U.S. President Donald Trump paid a visit to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping

Iran Seeks Visa Guarantees Ahead of Soccer World Cup

Taj himself was a high-ranking member of the IRGC before joining Iran's soccer program

The Iranian football federation’s upbeat readout of the meeting in Turkiye made no mention of moving World Cup games to Mexico — a subject Infantino has repeatedly shut down for the past two weeks

Gianni Infantino: Iran will play at World Cup despite Trump concerns

Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals, was the most notable absentee from a 35-man squad named by the head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, on Friday for friendlies against Nigeria and Costa Rica in the Turkish city of Antalya

Ahead of Thursday's Women's Asian Cup group game against the Matildas on the Gold Coast, Didar spoke through an interpreter on Wednesday and welled up when she relayed her concern for her nation and her teammates' families

Sara Didar, a striker for the Iranian women’s football team, fought back tears as she shared her teammates' profound concerns for their families and loved ones back home