Iran names 27-man squad for CAFA Nations Cup
Head coach Amir Qalenoei named Iran’s 27-man squad for the upcoming CAFA Nations Cup – starting Friday in Hisor, Tajikistan.
Defending champion Iran is in Group B of the eight-team tournament alongside Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and India.
Team Melli will take on Afghanistan at the Hisor Central Stadium on the opening day of the competition, before playing India and Tajikistan on September 1 and 4, respectively.
Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Oman are in Group A – to be staged in Tashkent.
The winner of the group will advance to the final showpiece at Tashkent’s Olympic City Stadium on Sept. 8, with the two runners-up squaring off in the third-place match.
Shabab Al Ahli duo Sardar Azmoun and Saeid Ezzatollahi, as well as Mahdi Qayedi, Ali Qolizadeh, and Sepahan midfielder Mohammad Karimi have all missed the tournament due to injury, while first-choice goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand is a serving a four-month suspension.
Veteran fullback Ramin Rezaeian has earned a first international callup since the AFC Asian Cup in February 2024, following an impressive season with Esteghlal in the Persian Gulf Pro League.
Persepolis midfielder Mohammad Khodabandelou, Sepahan striker Majid Aliyari, and Mes Rafsanjan goalkeeper Nima Mirzazad are also among the surprise names in the list.
The Following is Iran’s full squad for the CAFA Nations Cup:
Goalkeepers: Payam Niazmand (Persepolis), Ahmad Gohari (Paykan), Nima Mirzazad (Mes Rafsanjan)
Defenders: Mohammad-Amin Hazbavi (Sepahan), Aref Aqasi (Esteghlal), Mohammadhossein Kan’anizadegan (Persepolis), Ali Ne’mati (Foolad Khuzestan), Arya Yousefi (Sepahan), Ramin Rezaeian (Esteghlal), Omid Nourafkan (Sepahan), Mohammad Naderi (Tractor)
Midfielders: Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Mohammad Qorbani (Al Wahda), Samman Qoddous (Ittihad Kalba), Mohammad Khodabandelou (Persepolis), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (-), Mohammad Mohebbi (Rostov FC), Mahdi Hashemnejad (Tractor), Alireza Koushki (Esteghlal), Mohammad-Mahdi Mohebbi (Ittihad Kalba), Mahdi Tikdari (Tractor), Mehran Ahmadi (Esteghlal)
Strikers: Mahdi Taremi (Internazionale), Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor), Shahriar Moghanlou (Ittihad Kalba), Ali Alipour (Persepolis), Majid Aliyari (Sepahan).