Iran

Iran enter World Cup 2026 in Group G, where the early tests are Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand. Iran have never won the World Cup and have never advanced from the group stage, but they have collected memorable wins in 1998, 2018, and 2022 while remaining a difficult tournament opponent. The current squad is shaped around Mehdi Taremi, Sardar Azmoun, and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. The forward line is experienced enough to punish mistakes. Iran's prospects depend on staying compact, surviving long spells without the ball, and making Taremi and Azmoun count. If Iran can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.