IR Iran World Cup 2026 Squad: Full 26-Man Roster, Taremi Leads Without Azmoun in Group G

Amir Ghalenoei’s Iran arrives at the 2026 World Cup facing its most challenging group-stage task in seven appearances — and without its second all-time leading scorer. Sardar Azmoun (57 goals in 91 caps) was barred from the national team in March 2026 for what the Iranian federation described as disloyalty, leaving Mehdi Taremi to carry the attacking burden alone. Group G pairs Iran with Belgium (De Bruyne’s golden generation farewell), Egypt (Salah’s first knockout-stage pursuit), and New Zealand (Chris Wood’s All Whites) — a group where third place is the realistic target and second place would be the greatest achievement in Iranian football history.

Projected 26-man squad

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

Key inclusions

Mehdi Taremi — the lone talisman. Taremi scored 17 goal contributions (10 goals + 7 assists) in Asian qualifying — the most of any Iranian player. At Olympiacos, he has continued producing at European level: intelligent movement, elite hold-up play, and the ability to score from half-chances. With Azmoun excluded, Taremi is not just Iran’s captain but its entire attacking identity. Everything in possession flows through him. At 33, this is almost certainly his last World Cup, and Iran’s first-ever knockout appearance depends almost entirely on his form.

Sardar Azmoun — the absent star. Azmoun’s exclusion is the defining story of Iran’s pre-tournament. The official reason — disloyalty to the government — stems from his public support for Iranian protest movements. At 30, with 57 international goals, Azmoun should be in his prime and partnering Taremi as one of Asia’s most feared strike duos. Instead, Iran enters the World Cup without its second all-time leading scorer. The political dimension — and the question of whether the federation reverses its decision under tournament pressure — will follow the team throughout.

Saeid Ezatolahi — the midfield anchor. Ezatolahi is Iran’s most important defensive player: a physical holding midfielder who breaks up play, shields the back four, and starts transitions. Playing in the UAE at Shabab Al Ahli, his level is below Europe’s top leagues, but his international experience (64 caps) and understanding of Ghalenoei’s system make him irreplaceable. Containing Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah begins with Ezatolahi’s positioning.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh — the veteran winger. Jahanbakhsh has been a fixture in Iran’s attack for a decade — 76 caps, the former Brighton and Feyenoord winger now plays in Belgium at FCV Dender. His production has declined with age, but his crossing ability, set-piece delivery, and tournament experience remain valuable. In a squad with limited creative options beyond Taremi, Jahanbakhsh’s final ball could be decisive against New Zealand and Egypt.

Amirmohammad Razzaghinia — the 20-year-old wildcard. The Esteghlal defensive midfielder earned his second cap in March 2026 and could see World Cup minutes. At 20, he represents the future of Iran’s midfield — but thrust into a World Cup at this age, against Belgium’s De Bruyne and Egypt’s Salah, is a steep learning curve.

Notable omissions

Sardar Azmoun — barred. The most significant omission in any squad at this World Cup. 57 goals, 91 caps, Iran’s best pure finisher. His exclusion fundamentally changes Iran’s ceiling: with Azmoun-Taremi, Iran could genuinely threaten Belgium and Egypt. Without Azmoun, Iran’s attack is Taremi-dependent to a degree that elite defenses can exploit.

The age problem. Iran’s squad is the oldest in Asian football — the average qualifying age was 30.9 years. Multiple defenders (Khalilzadeh 37, Rezaeian 36, Hajsafi 36) are in their late 30s and still starting. Against younger, faster attacks (Belgium’s Jérémy Doku, Egypt’s Omar Marmoush), the lack of recovery speed in defense is a structural vulnerability that no tactical adjustment can fully fix.

Tactical outlook

Ghalenoei’s 4-2-3-1 is a pragmatic, counter-attacking system built for a squad that will average less than 40% possession in every group match. The double-pivot of Ezatolahi (defensive) and Ghoddos (distribution) sits deep, protecting an aging back four and looking to spring Taremi in transition. The wide midfielders — Jahanbakhsh (right) and Mohebi or Torabi (left) — tuck inside to compact the midfield defensively and provide support to the isolated striker.

Without Azmoun, the attacking plan is narrow: Taremi drops deep to link play, the wingers run beyond him, and Iran looks for set-piece opportunities (Khalilzadeh and Kanaanizadegan are legitimate aerial threats). It is not a sophisticated system, but it is disciplined — Iran has conceded fewer than 1.0 goals per game under Ghalenoei.

Against Egypt (June 14), the opening match is the group-deciding fixture for third place — two teams with elite individual talents (Taremi vs Salah) and similar tactical profiles. Against Belgium, survival and damage limitation. Against New Zealand, three points are required — Iran’s technical quality should be decisive.

Group G outlook

Iran’s path: the Egypt opener on June 14 is everything. Beat Egypt, and Iran enters the Belgium match with zero pressure and a genuine path to the Round of 32. Lose to Egypt, and the tournament is effectively over before facing Belgium. The New Zealand match should be three points regardless. Target: 4-6 points (beat New Zealand, get a result against Egypt), advancing as a third-place qualifier. Iran has never reached the knockout stage in six previous attempts. This is the best chance — even without Azmoun.

Fan planning links

• Group G Analysis — Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
• World Cup 2026 Squad Tracker — All 48 Teams
• Vancouver Matchday Guide — BC Place
• Seattle Matchday Guide — Lumen Field

Sources checked

• Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) — Ghalenoei’s squad selections, Azmoun exclusion
• Goal.com India, Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, Yahoo Sports — projected squad, tactical analysis
• transfermarkt — player age, caps, club data as of May 2026