FFIRI undecided over head coach Qalenoei’s future
The Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI) will decide the future of national team head coach Amir Qalenoei at a board meeting next week, according to executive board member Farideh Shojaei.
Speaking after a federation board meeting on Saturday, Shojaei said no final decision had been made regarding Qalenoei’s position despite discussions over the national team’s coaching situation.
“The national team was discussed, but it was decided that a decision on Mr. Qalenoei will be made next week or in the near future,” Shojaei said.
Asked whether she supported Qalenoei remaining in charge, Shojaei backed the 62-year-old, describing him as her preferred choice among Iranian candidates.
“Among the Iranian options, my choice is Qalenoei,” she said. “The team performed well at the World Cup, and he has shown he can manage the squad both technically and psychologically. I support him staying.”
Iran drew all three of its Group G matches – 2-2 against New Zealand, goalless against Belgium, and 1-1 with Egypt – to finish third in the standings and miss out on a place in the knockout stage of the expanded 48-team World Cup.
FFIRI president Mehdi Taj said last week that Qalenoei would remain Iran coach through the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, which begins on January 7 in Saudi Arabia, though there is believed to be disagreement among board members over his suitability for the role.
A semifinalist at the previous two editions, Iran will begin its bid for a fourth Asian Cup title – and its first since 1976 – against China in Group C, which also features Kyrgyzstan and Syria, at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena on January 9.
Debate continues among Iranian fans and pundits over Team Melli’s World Cup campaign in the United States.
Iran produced some spirited performances and completed the group stage unbeaten for the first time in its World Cup history, an achievement many considered noteworthy given the politically charged and disrupted buildup Qalenoei’s side endured amid the country’s conflict with one of the tournament’s co-hosts.
His critics, however, argue that he failed to deliver on the team’s stated objective of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in seven World Cup appearances, despite what many observers viewed as a favorable group-stage draw.
The upcoming Asian Cup would be a fourth major tournament for Qalenoei – whose contract, signed in March 2023, expired on Thursday – as Iran head coach. During his first spell in charge, Iran was knocked out by South Korea in the quarterfinals of the 2007 Asian Cup, while his second tenure produced a semifinal finish at the 2024 edition, where Team Melli lost to host Qatar.