Qalenoei names Iran’s squad for World Cup qualifiers
Iran’s head coach Amir Qalenoei named a 28-man squad for the upcoming fixtures against North Korea and the Kyrgyz Republic in the World Cup Asian qualifiers.
Team Melli takes on North Korea in Vientiane, Laos, on Thursday, before playing away to Kyrgyzstan at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek the following Tuesday.
Having beaten Qatar 4-1 last time out in the third round of the qualifiers, Iran is top of Group A with 10 points – equal on points with Uzbekistan and six points clear of third-placed UAE – after four games.
With a top-two finish securing direct qualification for the 2026 finals, maximum points against the bottom two sides of the group will put Iran on the verge of punching ticket for showpiece in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Persepolis center-back Hossein Kan’anizadegan is back in the squad after missing the games against Uzbekistan and Qatar in October with an injury, while Esteghlal midfielder Rouzbeh Cheshmi has received a first international call-up since the AFC Asian Cup in February.
Young striker Saeid Saharkhizan has also been rewarded with a place in the list, thanks to an impressive form with FC Orenburg, which has seen the 21-year-old bag seven goals in 17 games across all competitions since joining the Russian top-flight side from Golgohar Sirjan in July.
Elsewhere in Group A on Thursday, reigning Asian champion Qatar – trailing the top two by six points – will host Uzbekistan in Doha’s Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, with the United Arab Emirates and the Kyrgyz Republic squaring off in Abu Dhabi.
Paulo Bento’s UAE will play Qatar at home on Nov. 19, while North Korea will be back in Vientiane’s Lao National Stadium KM16 to face Uzbekistan.
The following is Iran’s full squad for the double-header:
Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan), Seyyed Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Mohammadreza Akhbari (Golgohar Sirjan)
Defenders: Hossein Kan’anizadegan (Persepolis), Ali Ne’mati (Foolad Khuzestan), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Tractor), Mohammad-Amin Hazbavi (Sepahan), Mohammad-Mahdi Zare’ (Golgohar Sirjan), Milad Mohammadi (Persepolis), Omid Nourafkan (Malavan), Arya Yousefi (Sepahan), Saleh Hardani (Sepahan)
Midfielders: Saeed Ezzatollahi (Shabab Al Ahli), Mohammad Karimi (Sepahan), Mohammad Qorbani (FC Orenburg), Saman Qoddous (Ittihad Kalba), Mohammad Mohebbi (FC Rostov), Mahdi Qayedi (Ittihad Kalba), Ali Qolizadeh (Lech Poznan), Mohammad-Javad Hosseinnejad (Dinamo Makhachkala), Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (SC Heerenveen)
Strikers: Mahdi Taremi (Internazionale), Sardar Azmoun (Shabab Al Ahli), Shahriar Moghanlou (Ittihad Kalba), Saeid Saharkhizan (FC Orenburg), Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor).