Overview
Iran is one of the first teams to win a ticket to the 2026 World Cup. Compared to many previous qualifying campaigns, the journey to the biggest football festival on the planet of the West Asian representative is going relatively smoothly.
However, the preparation process for the tournament faced many difficulties. Tensions related to the US and Israel once raised many concerns about this team's participation in the World Cup, especially when all 3 group stage matches took place in the US. Faced with that situation, coach Amir Ghalenoei and the coaching staff had to make efforts to minimize external impacts on the team.
However, Iran still showed careful professional preparation. In two friendly matches with Nigeria and Costa Rica in March, Ghalenoei tested many different tactical options.
Against Nigeria, Iran took the field with a 3-6-1 formation, a system described by this coach himself as a "Defense Plan B", likely prepared for strong opponents like Belgium in the group stage. Meanwhile, the match against Costa Rica saw Iran use a 4-4-2 formation to increase attacking power.
Despite being flexible in approach, the 4-2-3-1 formation is still considered Iran's main tactical system, which has been used throughout the World Cup qualifiers.
Regardless of tactical choices, some positions in the Iranian squad are almost irreplaceable.
In goal, Alireza Beiranvand will aim for his third consecutive World Cup as number one goalkeeper. In defense, Shojae Khalilzadeh is the only center-back who is almost certain to start. The midfield continues to be built around Saeid Ezatolahi, who is considered the number one defensive midfielder of the national team when he is in the best physical condition.
In attack, captain Mehdi Taremi is still the leader even though Iran uses one or two strikers.
Coach
Amir Ghalenoei was once a famous midfielder for Esteghlal, one of Iran's most traditional clubs.
In his football career, his most memorable moment came from a scuffle in the Tehran derby, which resulted in him being suspended for 6 months.
On the coaching bench, Ghalenoei built his reputation as one of the most successful strategists in Iranian football history. However, his strong personality and straightforward style also made him a controversial figure.
This is the second time he has led the national team. The first time took place after the 2006 World Cup, but Ghalenoei was sacked after Iran was eliminated at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. That is still a ripple that has always puzzled him throughout his career.
The 2026 World Cup is therefore seen as an opportunity for the 62-year-old coach to prove his worth and close the long-standing controversies.
Star
Mehdi Taremi may not be the most loved player in Iran, but he is still the team's biggest hope at the 2026 World Cup.
After many years of successful competition in Europe in Porto, Inter Milan and Olympiacos colors, Taremi has affirmed the class of one of the best strikers in Iranian football history.
Not only is he a key striker, he also has significant influence in the dressing room and plays an important role in the team's internal decisions.
Taremi's biggest strength lies in his ability to move intelligently behind the opponent's defense. He often creates one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper and is very dangerous in the penalty area. In addition to scoring, the 34-year-old striker also actively participates in supporting defense and pressing from the front line.
Notable faces
Mehdi Ghayedi has long been considered one of the special talents of Iranian football. However, the career of this winger has been affected many times by off-field problems and injuries. This has prevented him from maintaining his expected stable form.
However, at the age of 27, Ghayedi is still in the most energetic stage of his career. The star of Al-Nasr (UAE) possesses speed, dribbling technique and very impressive finishing ability.
After a long period of injury break, he marked his return to the national team with a beautiful goal against Costa Rica in March. If he is in high form, Ghayedi could completely become Iran's trump card to create breakthroughs at the World Cup.
The silent hero
Saman Ghoddos is one of Iran's most persistent and stable players in nearly a decade. However, never playing for any club in Iran has made him not receive much attention from domestic media like many other teammates.
Born in Malmo (Sweden), Ghoddos has always been highly appreciated for his professionalism, team spirit and ability to adapt to many different positions on the field.
The former Brentford player can play in midfield, two wings or support attack when necessary. After leaving the Premier League, he moved to Kalba in the UAE in 2024 but still maintains an important role in the national team.
Ghoddos' rich international playing experience and versatility can become an important factor helping Iran overcome difficult times at the 2026 World Cup.
