Iran will play two friendlies in Turkiye ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Published March 26, 2026
Iran’s men’s soccer team is training in the southern city of Turkiye in preparation for two friendlies ahead of the FIFA World Cup, but the team is likely to be in the spotlight against the backdrop of the United States and Israel’s war against Iran.
Team Melli held a training session in the resort town of Belek, near the Mediterranean city of Antalya, with media access severely restricted as officials said they wanted to avoid pre-match distractions, which are critical to World Cup preparations.
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The Iranian Football Federation is in talks with world governing body FIFA about moving World Cup matches from the United States to Mexico due to player safety concerns, federation president Mehdi Taj said last week.
The Iranian camp has largely sought to keep a low profile in the public eye, with the team expected to face intense political and media scrutiny as it prepares for the World Cup.
No interviews with players or coaches were made public in Belek, and a team media representative said the team was fully focused on its immediate competitive program.
Iran will play two games in Antalya against Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica on Tuesday.
The friendly match was originally scheduled to be held in Jordan, but was moved to Turkiye due to the outbreak of war with Iran.
The players looked relaxed under the sunny skies, and there were times when the staff and players chatted and joked during the session.
Among them was forward Mehdi Taremi. He has been in the spotlight in recent days after swapping shirts with an Israeli opponent while playing for his Greek club Olympiakos.
Striker Sardar Azmoun was dropped from the squad after he posted a photo of a meeting with Dubai’s ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on his Instagram feed.
Iranian media reported that Azmoun, who scored 57 goals in 91 international matches, was expelled from the national team for what was deemed to be disloyalty to the government.
