Sardar Azmoun left out as Iran announce World Cup 2026 squad

Experienced forward Sardar Azmoun was a glaring omission as Iran named their preliminary World Cup squad before departing for a pre-tournament training camp.

Azmoun, who was reportedly expelled from the national team for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government amid the US-Israel war on Iran, was not among the 30 players named in the squad on Saturday.

The 31-year-old striker, who plays his club football in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for Dubai’s Shabab Al-Ahli, upset the Iranian authorities in March by posting a picture on his Instagram feed of a meeting with Dubai’s ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, according to reports in Iranian media.

A report on the Fars News Agency in March quoted “an informed source within the national team” as saying Azmoun had been expelled from the squad. The player later removed the picture but was still lambasted on state TV.

Azmoun has scored 57 goals in his 91 appearances for his country and was part of Iran’s squad in its last two appearances at the World Cup.

Iran’s forward line at the World Cup will be led by Mehdi Taremi, who has played in major European football leagues and is currently plying his trade at Olympiacos FC in the top tier of Greek football.

The 30-member squad will travel to Turkiye on Monday for a training camp, friendlies and to complete visa applications before heading to the United States, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said.

Team Melli will be returning to Antalya, where they trained and played friendlies in March.

The squad will have to be trimmed to the World Cup maximum of 26 by June 1.

“Selecting 30 players for this final training camp ahead of the World Cup was the most difficult technical decision of my coaching career,” Ghalenoei told the Iranian football federation website, adding he had selected players solely on “technical criteria”.

Iran hope to play two friendlies in Antalya. They have already confirmed one match against The Gambia on May 29, said Sam Mehdizadeh, an Iranian-Canadian who heads a company that sets up friendlies for the team.

The Iranian squad and support staff have not been issued visas for the World Cup, but football’s global governing body FIFA has issued reassurances in advance of the June 11 tournament kickoff.

“No visas have been issued yet,” Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian football federation, said on Thursday.

Taj said players were expected to undergo fingerprinting in Turkiye as part of the visa process, but wished to avoid a trip of more than 450km (280 miles) from Antalya to the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Iran will begin their World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Los Angeles on 15 June, before facing Belgium in the same city and then Egypt in Seattle, in Group G.