News / Sports

Australia hopes to have friendly with Iran before FIFA World Cup

Wednesday, 20 December 2017 8:32 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 20 December 2017 8:32 AM ]

President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahdi Taj (L) meets Australian Ambassador to Iran Ian Biggs (2nd L) in Tehran, Iran, on December 18, 2017.

Australian Ambassador to Iran Ian Biggs has proposed a friendly fixture between Iran men's national football team, domestically known as Team Melli, and the Australian national football team as part of preparations for the 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.

During a meeting with President of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahdi Taj in Tehran, Biggs announced the interest of the Football Federation Australia (FFA) to play an exhibition game with Team Melli.

Taj, for his part, welcomed the idea, but stressed that head coach of Iran's national football team Carlos Queiroz will make the final decision on this issue.

On November 13, Team Melli beat the Venezuela national football team 1-0 at the end of a match staged at the empty Goffertstadion stadium in the central eastern Dutch city of Nijmegen.

The Iran national football team defeated Uzbekistan 2-0 at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on June 12, and became the first Asian team - and the third squad after Brazil and hosts Russia - to secure its place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Sardar Azmoun opened the scoring for the host team in the 23rd minute.

Mehdi Taremi found the back of the net from inside the area in the 88th minute, and finished off the White Wolves.

During the official 2018 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony at Kremlin State Palace in the Russian capital city of Moscow on December 1, Team Melli joined the Portugal national football team, nicknamed A Selecção, Spain’s La Furia Roja and Atlas Lions of Morocco in the preliminary round of the tournament.

A picture shows a general view with the groups displayed on screens after the Final Draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup football tournament at the State Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, on December 1, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

The host nation, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Uruguay form Group A in the upcoming quadrennial international sports event.

France is drawn in Group C, and is pitted against Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Argentina, Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria are drawn in Group D.

Group E consists of Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.

While the 2014 FIFA World Cup champion Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea shape Group F, Belgium, Panama, Tunisia and England are in Group G.

Group H has Poland, Senegal, Colombia and Japan.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 14 to July 15. Russia will open the event against Saudi Arabia in a Group A fixture at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.

A total of 64 matches will be played in 12 venues located in 11 cities.

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