Opinions, analysis and commentary
Iran announced their 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in late May and left out their third-highest scorer in history. Sardar Azmoun, 57 goals in 91 caps, a goals-per-game ratio of 0.63, was absent from the preliminary 30-man list and confirmed out of the final squad. This was not a fitness call or a form decision. It was a political exclusion, driven by a social media post, that removed Iran’s most versatile attacker before a ball had been kicked in Group G.
In March 2026, with Iran engaged in hostilities with the United States and Israel, Azmoun posted a photograph on Instagram of himself meeting Dubai’s ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Fars News Agency, which has ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, cited an anonymous source inside the national team describing the post as an act of disloyalty. Its editorial accused Azmoun of “standing on the wrong side of a historical turning point.”
Iran’s vice president, Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh, publicly called for Azmoun’s inclusion, an unusual intervention that went entirely unanswered. Coach Amir Ghalenoei was given no room to select him. Azmoun was absent from the preliminary 30-man list, then confirmed out of the final 26. The decision came from above the coaching staff, with no fitness or form justification offered.
Azmoun’s international record stands at 57 goals in 91 caps, a goals-per-game ratio of 0.63 that edges ahead of Taremi’s 0.58. In Iran’s 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign alone, he scored 11 goals in 14 matches. He represented Iran at both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, appearing in all three group games in Qatar without scoring.
| Player | Intl Goals | Intl Caps | Goals/Game | 2026 WC Status |
| Mehdi Taremi | 60 | 103+ | 0.58 | Included |
| Sardar Azmoun | 57 | 91 | 0.63 | Excluded |
Ghalenoei’s replacements, Dennis Dargahi of Standard Liège and Ali Alipour of Persepolis, carry none of Azmoun’s experience. Dargahi has never played at a World Cup; Alipour has a domestic pedigree but not this stage. Iran hasn’t lost a player; they’ve lost a profile no one else in the squad replicates.
At Russia 2018, Iran won one game and drew another with Taremi and Azmoun operating as a combined threat. At Qatar 2022, they beat Wales 2–0. The partnership gave Iran two genuine attacking dimensions: Taremi as a penalty-area finisher, Azmoun as the link player who held the ball, turned defenders, and created space. That second dimension is gone.
Iran’s group stage scoring across three World Cups was thin, even with both players: two goals against England in 2022 (both Taremi), one against Morocco and one against Portugal in 2018, and a single goal in the entire 2014 campaign. Taremi has carried the attacking load before. Without Azmoun stretching defences and creating space, he’ll carry it against sides that focus every defensive resource on stopping him alone.
Iran has appeared at six World Cups: 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, and 2022, and has never advanced past the group stage. Their all-time record stands at three wins, four draws, and eleven losses across 18 matches, with 13 goals scored in total. They have never scored in a knockout match because they have never played one.
Group G offers Iran its most realistic path out of the group stage in recent memory. They are ranked 20th in the world, above Egypt (34th) and well above New Zealand (86th). Belgium tops the group on paper, but second and third place in the 48-team format can also advance. Losing Azmoun, who averaged 0.63 international goals per game across 91 caps, makes that path measurably narrower, even if it doesn’t close it.
Iran faces New Zealand on 15 June in Los Angeles, Belgium on 21 June, and Egypt on 26 June in Seattle. The New Zealand game is the one they must win. New Zealand, ranked 86th, gives Iran the clearest opening, and three points are achievable if Taremi fires.
Belgium tops the group and has the depth to neutralise Iran’s attack without strain. Egypt at 34th brings organised, physical defence that has stifled higher-ranked attacks before. Without Azmoun linking midfield to attack, converting chances depends on Taremi reaching his ceiling every game.
The Sardar Azmoun Iran FIFA World Cup 2026 squad decision cannot be reversed. Iran enters Group G without the attacker who could have hurt all three opponents. What Taremi does alone will decide whether Iran finally breaks their group-stage ceiling, or whether this is another exit they could have avoided.
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How many goals has Sardar Azmoun scored for Iran?
Azmoun has scored 57 goals in 91 international appearances, Iran’s third-highest scorer of all time. His goals-per-game ratio of 0.63 edges ahead of Taremi’s 0.58.
Who leads Iran’s attack at the 2026 World Cup?
Mehdi Taremi leads Iran’s attack with 60 goals in over 100 caps. He scored 10 goals in AFC qualifying and will operate as Iran’s lone striker throughout the tournament.
Has Iran ever reached the knockout stage of a World Cup?
No, Iran has appeared at six World Cups and has never advanced beyond the group stage. Their record reads 3 wins, 4 draws, 11 losses in 18 matches, scoring 13 goals.
What group is Iran in at the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Iran is in Group G with Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. Their fixtures: 15 June vs New Zealand (Los Angeles), 21 June vs Belgium (Los Angeles), 26 June vs Egypt (Seattle).
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