Iran football coach Amir Ghalenoei has prioritized a domestic core and tactical versatility in his 30-man World Cup squad, aiming to break Team Melli's knockout-stage jinx with pragmatic, battle-hardened resilience.

FIFA says constructive discussions with Iran’s football federation have reinforced confidence over the country’s participation in the 2026 World Cup.

Iranian women footballers, targeted by a US-orchestrated asylum plot during the Asian Cup in Australia, defeated the pressure campaign by choosing to return home, demonstrating patriotism and love for their homeland.

The selective morality of global sports bodies, including FIFA, has again been exposed after the US-Israeli aggression targeted the Azadi Stadium in Tehran, reducing it to rubble.

After more than two years of refusing calls to suspend Israel over genocide in Gaza, FIFA is now sportwashing the crisis by pledging $50 million for football infrastructure in the war-torn territory.

Iran football federation says it has contacted FIFA over uncertainty surrounding US visas for members of Iran’s World Cup delegation.

FIFA must strip the US of its 2026 World Cup hosting rights over travel bans and domestic unrest, says an analyst, as boycott calls grow.