2026 World Cup: Azmoun left out of preliminary squad

TEHRAN – Iran football team forward Sardar Azmoun has been left out of Amir Ghalenoei’s preliminary World Cup squad.

Ghalenoei did not explain the reason for omitting Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals, but Iranian media have reported that the former Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma striker was left out due to injury.

The 30-man squad was announced on Saturday, before Iran head to Turkey next week to continue their tournament preparations.

Veterans Mehdi Taremi, who plays for Olympiacos, and former Brighton & Hove Albion winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh were included in the squad.

Iran’s participation in the June 11 to July 19 tournament has been in question since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February.

Iran’s Football Federation (FFIRI) President Mehdi Taj was refused entry to Canada for the FIFA Congress in Vancouver in April.

Iran are scheduled to play all three of their group matches in the United States. They will take on New Zealand on June 15 and Belgium on June 21 in Los Angeles, and Egypt five days later in Seattle.

Iran Squad

Goalkeepers:

Alireza Beiranvand, Hossein Hosseini, Mohammad Khalifeh, Payam Niazmand

Defenders:

 Danial Eiri, Ehsan Hajisafi, Saleh Hardani, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Milad Mohammadi, Ali Nemati, Omid Noorafkan, Ramin Rezaeian

Midfielders:

Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Saeid Ezatolahi, Mehdi Ghaedi, Saman Ghoddos, Mohammad Ghorbani, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mohammad Mohebi, Amirmohammad Razzaghinia, Mehdi Torabi, Aria Yousefi

Forwards:

Ali Alipour, Dennis Dargahi, Hadi Habibinejad, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Amirhossein Mahmoudi, Kasra Taheri, Mehdi Taremi