Golmohammadi named Iran U23 coach
Yahya Golmohammadi has been appointed head coach of Iran’s U23 national team on a three-year contract, the Iranian Football Federation announced on Thursday.
Golmohammadi, 56, left his job at Duhok SC in the Iraqi top flight to take over from Hossein Abdi, who stepped down after his team suffered a group-stage exit at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan last month.
The former Iranian international center-back, who took charge of Duhok in June, led the club to two wins and six draws in 10 outings in the Iraq Stars League.
Golmohammadi enjoyed the most successful spell of his coaching career at Persepolis, guiding the Tehran Reds to three Persian Gulf Pro League titles and a domestic cup trophy, as well as the AFC Champions League final, during his four-year tenure. He parted ways with the capital club midway through the 2023-24 season following a falling-out with the club hierarchy.
He then took over at Foolad Khuzestan ahead of the 2024-25 campaign and led the southern Iranian side to an impressive fourth-place finish. However, a run of poor results saw him leave the club by mutual consent midway through the following season.
In his new role, Golmohammadi will be tasked with ending Iran’s 52-year wait for a place in the Olympic football tournament. His team will compete in the next edition of the AFC U23 Asian Cup in Japan in January 2028, where the two finalists will secure qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics later that year.
Golmohammadi’s appointment is only the first step toward a new era for the U23 national team, but the main challenge is to build a cohesive and competitive side from a generation of players expected to carry the burden of Iranian football in the years to come.
His experience managing major teams and working under the high-pressure conditions of Iranian football could prove valuable. However, success at the U23 level requires more than technical expertise; it also depends on careful planning, coordination with clubs and consistent access to talented players.
Iran’s U23 team has repeatedly struggled with preparations and securing the release of players during the club season in recent years. To achieve the ultimate goal, the new head coach must address these obstacles from the outset.