Iran national football team plans friendlies ahead of 2026 World Cup
With less than a year remaining until the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mehdi Taj, president of the Football Federation of Iran, unveiled the national team’s prospective preparation schedule aimed at sharpening their competitive edge for the global tournament.
Taj revealed that several friendly matches for Iran’s national team prior to the World Cup have been tentatively finalized. The federation initially proposed friendlies against international squads including Chile, Japan, Costa Rica, South Korea, Australia, Ghana, and Cameroon. However, all these teams have declined Iran’s invitations, ISNA wrote.
In light of this, if no alternative friendlies are arranged during the Iranian month of Shahrivar (late August to late September), Iran’s team is expected to participate in the Central Asian Football Championship (KAFA) 2025 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, from August 29 to September 5. Iran is drawn into Group B, where it will face Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Malaysia.
Should Iran manage to schedule a friendly match during Shahrivar, the federation intends for the Iranian under-23 national team to compete in the KAFA Championship instead.
Looking ahead, Iran is confirmed to play a friendly against Russia on October 14, with another friendly slated for October 6, although the opposing team for that date remains undecided. In November, the Iranian team is expected to participate in a tournament in Ivory Coast, pending final confirmation. While no friendlies have been arranged for March, the federation continues to actively pursue suitable opponents.
Finally, Taj announced that in June, Iran will face one of the World Cup participants in a match planned to take place in the United States.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be a landmark event as it will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — the first time the tournament is hosted by three nations. This edition will also feature an expanded format, increasing the number of teams from 32 to 48.
Iran has a history of consistent World Cup appearances and is eager to build on its reputation in the 2026 tournament. The extended format provides an excellent opportunity for the team to achieve historic milestones. With diverse and potentially stronger competition in the expanded field, thorough preparation through friendlies and tournaments is crucial for Iran to adapt tactics, analyze rivals, and build team cohesion.