Iranian teams clear to host in AFC competitions, Taj confirms
Iranian national team and the Persian Gulf Pro League clubs have been given the go-ahead by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to play on home soil again, Mahdi Taj, the head of Iranian Football Federation, confirmed.
Iranian teams were forced to play their home games in the continental events in neutral venues after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched a missile strike on targets in the Israeli-occupied territories on October 1 last year – days after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli air strike in Beirut, Lebanon.
Iran faced Qatar in the World Cup qualifiers in Dubai on Oct. 15, coming out 4-1 winner, while Persepolis, Esteghlal, Tractor, and Sepahan also had to fly to Dubai and Doha for their home games in the two Asian club competitions.
“We received the good news from the AFC hours ago, and Persepolis and Esteghlal are clear to play their home games [in the AFC Champions League Elite] in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium,” Taj said on Monday, adding: “The situation will be reassessed by the AFC representatives in Tehran on February 11, though I’m confident there won’t be a problem regarding Iran’s home games in the World Cup qualifiers.”
Sitting eighth in the west zone’s 12-team table with five points, Esteghlal will be back in the Asian elite clubs’ competition against Iraqi bottom-club Al Shorta on Feb. 3, hoping to remain in contention for a knockout spot ahead of the visit to Al Rayyan of Qatar on the final day of the league phase.
Sixth in the table with six points, Persepolis will play away to Saudi powerhouse Al Hilal, before welcoming Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr on Feb. 17.
Tractor is the Iranian team in the AFC Champions League Two knockouts, hosting Bahrain’s Al Khaldiya SC in the second leg of their last-16 tie in Tabriz’s Yadegar-e Imam Stadium on Feb. 18 – a week after the first leg in Riffa.
Iran, meanwhile, is top in Group A of the qualifiers with 16 points – three clear of Uzbekistan and six points above the United Arab Emirates with four games to spare – and with the top-two securing direct qualification for the 2026 finals, Team Melli is on the verge of progress ahead of the home fixtures against the UAE and Uzbekistan on March 20 and 25.