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Iran announced its 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday and Sardar Azmoun, nicknamed the “Iranian Messi”, was not on it.
Coach Amir Ghalenoei had Azmoun dropped from Iran’s national football squad in March, reportedly over a social media post that angered Iranian authorities.
Azmoun, a 31-year-old striker known for his time playing for Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma, posted a photo with the Emir of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is a known US ally and has shown support for President Donald Trump’s involvement in the war against Iran.
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Sardar Azmoun of Iran reacts during the FIFA World Cup Asian Group E second qualifying match against Hong Kong at Hong Kong Stadium on June 6, 2024. (Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Azmoun, who has over 5.8 million followers on Instagram, quickly deleted the photo, but it was long enough to anger the authorities and he was accused of “treason” and a “disloyal act”.
Azmoun will not join those from his country, including star striker Mehdi Taremi, who plays for Olympiacos in Greece. Taremi was among the nine players who have been part of clubs abroad this year.
FIFA CONFIRMS IRAN WILL PLAY ALL 2026 WORLD CUP GROUP MATCHES ON US SOIL DESPITE TENSIONS
Iran brings 17 players who play for teams in the country, 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, their base for the World Cup.
There had been considerable speculation as to whether Iran would participate in the World Cup or not, as the war created a potential conflict despite them qualifying for the tournament. FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed in April that Iran would still compete, although they had a problem with their group matches being played on US soil.
Sardar Azmoun of AS Roma looks on during a friendly match against AC Milan at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia on May 31, 2024. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Their team base was previously set in Tucson, Arizona, but Mehdi Taj, president of the Iran Football Federation, announced late last month that they would be moved to Tijuana. The move may coincide with uncertainty surrounding the war in the Middle East and security concerns.
Iran’s federation also said moving the camp would solve potential visa issues, as the team will enter the United States through Mexico.
Taj noted in a statement that the FA submitted requests to change its base and the requests were approved. But FIFA did not change Iran’s group fixtures following an earlier request, meaning they will begin their Group G program against New Zealand at the SoFi Stadium on June 15 as originally scheduled. 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 each other in the tournament if they both finish second in their respective groups. However, Iran have never made it out of the group stages of the World Cup despite reaching four consecutive tournaments.
The USA and Iran met in 2022, when Christian Pulisic scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory to send them through to the round of 16.
