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Iran announced its 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, and Sardar Azmoun, nicknamed the “Iranian Messi,” was not on it.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei had Azmoun removed from Iran’s national football team in March and it was reportedly due to a social media post that angered Iranian authorities.
Azmoun, a 31-year-old striker well known for his time at Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma, posted a photo with the Emir of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is a well-known ally of the United States and has shown his support for President Donald Trump’s participation in the war against Iran.
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Sardar Azmoun of Iran reacts during the second match of the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualification Group E against Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Stadium on June 6, 2024. (Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Azmoun, who has more than 5.8 million followers on Instagram, quickly deleted the photo, but it lasted long enough to anger authorities and he was charged with “treason” and “disloyal act.”
Azmoun will not join his country’s side, including star striker Mehdi Taremi, who plays for Olympiacos in Greece. Taremi was among nine players who were part of clubs abroad this year.
FIFA CONFIRMS THAT IRAN WILL PLAY ALL MATCHES OF THE GROUP STAGE OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP ON AMERICAN LAND DESPITE THE TENSIONS
Iran will bring in 17 players who star on the country’s teams, although they have not played since February due to the war in the Middle East.
The team has been training in Antalya, Türkiye, but on Friday they will head to Tijuana, Mexico, to their base for the World Cup.
There had been much speculation about whether or not Iran would participate in the World Cup, as the war created a potential conflict even though they qualified for the tournament. FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed in April that Iran would continue competing, although he had issues with their group matches being played on American soil.
AS Roma’s Sardar Azmoun watches during a friendly match against AC Milan at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia on May 31, 2024. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)
His team was previously based in Tucson, Arizona, but Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, announced late last month that they would be moved to Tijuana. The move likely coincides with uncertainty surrounding the war in the Middle East and security concerns.
Additionally, Iran’s federation said moving the camp would resolve potential visa issues since the team will enter the United States through Mexico.
Taj said in a statement that the football federation submitted requests to change its base and the requests were approved. But FIFA did not change Iran’s group matches following a prior request, meaning they will begin their Group G schedule against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium on June 15 as originally planned. They will also play in Los Angeles against Belgium on June 21, followed by a match against Egypt on June 26 in Seattle.
Sardar Azmoun of Shabab Al-Ahli FC plays during the AFC Champions League Elite match against Tractor FC at Prince Abdullah AlFaisal Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on April 14, 2026. (Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
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Iran and the United States have a chance to meet in the tournament if they both finish second in their respective groups. Iran, however, never managed to get out of the group stage of the World Cup despite having played four consecutive tournaments.
The United States and Iran met in 2022, when Christian Pulisic scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory that took them to the round of 16.
