The Iran national football team, often called Team Melli, represents Iran in men’s international football and is governed by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran. They’ve long been one of Asia’s strongest sides, having won multiple AFC Asian Cup titles and established a solid presence in World Cup qualifying.
Iran first appeared at the FIFA World Cup in 1978, and have since qualified seven times — in 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. Despite regular appearances, they’ve never advanced past the group stage at the tournament, although they’ve recorded memorable wins, including a famous victory over the United States in 1998.
In the 2026 qualifying campaign, Iran secured their place early by drawing 2–2 with Uzbekistan, with striker Mehdi Taremi scoring twice to clinch qualification. That result marked Iran’s fourth consecutive World Cup qualification and their seventh overall.
Group Stage – Group G
Iran has been drawn into Group G alongside:
Belgium – seasoned European side
Egypt – strong African nation
New Zealand – Oceania qualifiers
This mix gives Iran a competitive but achievable path to challenge for advancement. Experts have noted that this group setup could give Iran a favorable chance to reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their history, provided they prepare well and maintain tactical discipline.
Fixtures
 
9:00 pmWorld Cup
2026
N/A Iran vs. New ZealandVenue: Los Angeles Stadium
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3:00 pmWorld Cup
2026
N/A Belgium vs. IranVenue: Los Angeles Stadium
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11:00 pmWorld Cup
2026
N/A Egypt vs. IranVenue: Seattle Stadium
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Group G
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Egypt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Iran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |