The most likely friendly match opponents for Team Melli in 2025 and 2026

[perspolis#1]

Imagine Doku squaring up against Hardani or Yousefi.

Genuinely terrifying

[Pluto2000]

Team Melli coaching staff and Football Federation staff are an embarrassment to Iran.

Apparantly Ghalenoei has composed a list of nations he would like Team Melli to request Football Federation to arrange friendly matches with, but honestly it's a joke, so far from reported news in the past several months we know that Turkiye, Argentina were in his list, today another has been revealed Belgium

https://fararu.com/fa/news/842303/%D...%86%D9%88%DB%8 C%DB%8C-%D9%88-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82%D9%87-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%84%DA%98%DB%8C%DA%A9

Argentina - he realized that they request amount in several million dollars which makes it impossible.

But doesn't he know that Turkiye and Belgium have a full schedule for FIFA days this year and are unavailable? Does he or others working with him know how to search on Google and find out about various teams known schedules for fixtures?

Russia match in October is not finalized as well. So far it's just CAFA tournament which we don't know if there will be two invitee teams participating or not.


Currently, non-AFC teams (excluding OFC) available are:

09-OCTOBER-2025 - Poland, Gibraltar
14-OCTOBER-2025 - Albania

13-NOVEMBER-2025 - Latvia
14-NOVEMBER-2025 - Czechia, Lithuania
15-NOVEMBER-2025 - North Macedonia, San Marino
17-NOVEMBER-2025 - Faroe Islands
18-NOVEMBER-2025 - Kazakhstan

Mexico, USA, Canada (available in October and November)

All South American teams available in October and November.

All African teams available in November.

non-FIFA members (excluding CONIFA and OFC Associate members): Guadeloupe, Martinique, Greenland, Zanzibar, Reunion, Mayotte - available any time on non FIFA days

I'm pretty sure they are trying to schedule it for Spring 2026. From all the signs I've seen, they are trying to schedule Turkey + Belgium for March 2026 and a African + South American country for April 2026. I also saw hints that they may be doing a Saudi friendly for later this October or November.

Regardless though, don't stress too much, its IFF. We're gonna end up playing Nicaragua and Hong Kong

[Nokhodi]

No European team (Except Turkey and in Turkey only) would play TM right now due to political pressure.

[Pluto2000]

No European team (Except Turkey and in Turkey only) would play TM right now due to political pressure.

I disagree, we setup camp in Austria and played Uruguay + Senegal at the peak height of zan zendegi protests, money talks in the end

[Nokhodi]

I disagree, we setup camp in Austria and played Uruguay + Senegal at the peak height of zan zendegi protests, money talks in the end

Exactly. No West European opponents.
Remember even in 2006 Ukraine and Romania both cancelled friendlies with TM due to kholochel AN.

[Ardalan]

Darkhaaste baazi ba Belgique = baazie dostaane ba Eraagh dar Mashad.

[ShiroKhorshid]

Uefa: Belarus
Concacaf: Nicaragua
Conmebol: Venezuela
Caf: Kenya
OFC: Papua/Newguinea

Pretty sure we will play 2 or 3 of these teams in the next 16 months leading up to the WC. No surprises and a cycle repeated as long as these monkeys are ruling.

[perspolis#1]

Uefa: Belarus
Concacaf: Nicaragua
Conmebol: Venezuela
Caf: Kenya
OFC: Papua/Newguinea

Pretty sure we will play 2 or 3 of these teams in the next 16 months leading up to the WC. No surprises and a cycle repeated as long as these monkeys are ruling.

Badbakhtim, even some mild upgrades to the list you shared I would take in a heartbeat

UEFA: Romania for Belarus
CONCACAF:Panama/Costa Rica
CONMEBOL: Venezuela good
CAF: Sudan
OFC: Forget it just play Australia

All countries in that list we are ok enough with politically or at least add something for them to gain from a football perspective.

Romania, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Sudan, Australia would be enough for us to be prepared for getting out of our group 100%