Iran Announces 26‑Man World Cup Squad, Azmoun Excluded

Iran has finalized its 26-man squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, with veteran striker Sardar Azmoun notably omitted from the roster announced on Monday. The team, which includes 17 players based in Iran and nine playing for clubs abroad, will be based in Tijuana, Mexico, for the tournament.

Azmoun, a 31-year-old forward with 57 goals in 91 international appearances, was dropped from the national team in March. Reports indicate his exclusion stems from a social media post that angered Iranian authorities during the ongoing regional conflict. The post, which featured a photo with the Emir of Dubai, was quickly deleted but led to accusations of disloyalty. Despite calls from within Iran’s government for his return, Azmoun was not included on the preliminary or final squad lists.

The team will be led by star forward Mehdi Taremi of Olympiacos and veteran winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh. Iran’s squad has been training in Antalya, Turkey, and is scheduled to play a friendly against Mali on Thursday before departing for Mexico on Friday.

Iran’s participation and logistics for the World Cup have been complicated by geopolitical tensions. FIFA recently approved Iran’s request to relocate...