Iranian Ma’soumi to represent Azerbaijan at 2027 Wrestling Worlds
Freestyle wrestler Amirreza Ma’soumi is set to represent Azerbaijan at the 2027 World Championships, the Iranian prodigy confirmed on Saturday.
The 20-year-old standout has dominated the super-heavyweight division across multiple age groups in recent years, collecting six world gold medals – including last year’s junior and under-23 titles.
He also competed for Iran’s senior team at February’s Ranking Series event in Zagreb and then at the Asian Championships in March, winning the 125kg gold at both tournaments.
However, Ma’soumi – who fell short against compatriot Amirhossein Zare’ in last year’s Iranian Olympic trials – saw his hopes of securing a place at this September’s World Championships dashed after suffering another defeat to the reigning world champion in the International Takhti Cup final in Isfahan in May.
Ma’soumi had previously shared a photo of himself with his father and personal coach, Fardin Ma’soumi, during a training session with Azerbaijan’s national team in Baku earlier in July – a hint that he was considering continuing his international career abroad.
But the Iranian Wrestling Federation refused to issue a letter of consent for one of the country’s brightest wrestling talents.
Under United World Wrestling regulations, a wrestler must either obtain approval from his home federation or refrain from competing internationally for three years before switching national allegiance.
“I really wanted to continue winning medals for my country, but there are certain issues I don’t wish to discuss right now. I don’t believe in explaining myself, as it is a sign of weakness. The day will come when I prove through my achievements what Iranian wrestling has lost,” Ma’soumi said of this new chapter in his career.
He also addressed the time of his return to international competition, saying: “I will be eligible to wrestle for Azerbaijan from the 2027 World Championships, and I am firm in my decision.”
The Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation reportedly made an official approach for Ma’soumi in July, offering 300,000 Swiss francs for his services – an offer rejected by Alireza Dabir, the chairman of the Iranian federation.
“We’ve always granted approval for lower-ranked wrestlers to represent other countries, but Ma’soumi is a top-tier asset for us, already a favorite for world and Olympic golds. He has simply been unlucky to have Zare’ as a domestic rival, though I believe the competition between them will push both to new heights. I’m sure they are by far the world’s top two in their weight class,” Dabir said at the time.
“The national team’s interests come first. I like Amirreza as if he were my own son, and I just hope he receives the right guidance,” added the former world and Olympic champion.
Ma’soumi’s decision means wrestling fans could witness a rare all-Iranian showdown under different flags at the 2027 Wrestling World Championships – and potentially again at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.