Iran — FIFA World Cup 2026

Group GAmir Ghalenoei4-2-3-1
CalibrSports Strength Rating41 / 100

Will Iran Qualify from Group G?

Advance from Group42%
Reach Quarter-Final13%
Reach Semi-Final4%
Reach the Final1%
Win the World Cup0%

Powered by CalibrSports ML · Pre-tournament analysis

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Key Players for Iran at World Cup 2026

Mehdi Taremi
ST

Inter Milan

Elite header of the ball and prolific Serie A striker, the quality that can unlock any defence

Sardar Azmoun
CF

Bayer Leverkusen

Clinical and technically gifted second striker who provides cover and creativity

Alireza Jahanbakhsh
RW

Feyenoord

Pacy wide midfielder capable of decisive moments in big games

Iran World Cup 2026 Squad

31-player squad · provisional, via SportMonks · finalized closer to kickoff

Goalkeepers(4)

Alireza Beiranvand1Alireza Beiranvand
Payam Niazmand12Payam Niazmand
Seyed Hossein Hosseini22Seyed Hossein Hosseini
Mohammad Khalifeh30Mohammad Khalifeh

Defenders(9)

Saleh Hardani2Saleh Hardani
Ehsan Hajsafi3Ehsan Hajsafi
Shoja Khalilzadeh4Shoja Khalilzadeh
Milad Mohammadi5Milad Mohammadi
Hossein Kanaani13Hossein Kanaani
Arya Yousefi17Arya Yousefi
Ali Nemati19Ali Nemati
Ramin Rezaeian23Ramin Rezaeian
Danial Eiri27Danial Eiri

Midfielders(7)

Saeed Ezatolahi6Saeed Ezatolahi
Mohammad Ghorbani11Mohammad Ghorbani
Saman Ghoddos14Saman Ghoddos
Roozbeh Cheshmi15Roozbeh Cheshmi
Omid Noorafkan21Omid Noorafkan
Hadi Habibinejad26Hadi Habibinejad
Amirmohammad Razzaghinia28Amirmohammad Razzaghinia

Attackers(11)

Alireza Jahanbakhsh7Alireza Jahanbakhsh
Mohammad Mohebi8Mohammad Mohebi
Mehdi Taremi9Mehdi Taremi
Mehdi Ghayedi10Mehdi Ghayedi
Mehdi Torabi16Mehdi Torabi
Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh18Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh
Ali Alipour20Ali Alipour
Dennis Eckert Ayensa24Dennis Eckert Ayensa
Amirhossein Mahmoudi25Amirhossein Mahmoudi
Kasra Taheri29Kasra Taheri
Shahriar Moghanlou31Shahriar Moghanlou

Iran Manager & Playing Style

Manager

Amir Ghalenoei

Formation

4-2-3-1

Tactically disciplined and difficult to break down, with Mehdi Taremi providing a constant aerial and link-up threat as the lone striker.

Iran World Cup History

2022Group stage
2018Group stage
2014Group stage

Iran's Group G Opponents

1Belgium78 pts
2Egypt42 pts
3Iran (this team)41 pts
4New Zealand35 pts

WC 2026 Betting Angles for Iran

Taremi anytime scorer

Taremi has thrived at Inter Milan as a technical and powerful finisher; his World Cup record is strong and he is regularly underpriced in international markets.

Iran to finish 2nd in Group G

With Belgium expected to win the group, second place is a two-way fight between Iran and Egypt; Iran's collective organisation and Taremi's quality make them a value play.

Under 1.5 goals — Iran vs Egypt

Two defensively organised sides with similar tactical profiles meeting in a must-win context; expect a tight, low-scoring affair.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Iran qualify from the group stage?

CalibrSports ML gives Iran a 42% probability of advancing from Group G, based on squad strength and opponent ratings.

What are Iran's chances of winning WC 2026?

Our model gives Iran a 0% chance of winning the World Cup 2026.

Who is Iran's best player at WC 2026?

Mehdi Taremi (ST at Inter Milan) — Elite header of the ball and prolific Serie A striker, the quality that can unlock any defence

CalibrSports Verdict on Iran

Iran under Ghalenoei are pragmatic and hard to beat — they have now reached three consecutive World Cups and Taremi's Serie A pedigree elevates them above most Asian nations. Their realistic target is second place in Group G. CalibrSports gives Iran a 42% chance of advancing from the group stage.

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