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%

[Rooyintan]

I don't understand why some of the forum members, Iranian football fans overall, the toxic Iranian media/football pishkesvat both in Iran and outside criticize playing low ranked teams from other continents but get overjoyed whenever TM plays Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Oman, etc

It's bad strategy to go with full squad and strength at friendly matches or just daydream for playing Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Belgium, Italy, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Turkiye, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon.

Good strategy is to play new teams and the more new opponents TM faces the better it will be. Team Melli should aim at playing every team in the World and arrange games that are suitable to try new players. Carlos Queiroz surely in my opinion was the bravest coach to do that, under him sadly Team Melli didn't get a chance to face new opponents Norway, Italy, Serbia, Greece, Kosovo, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Gabon, Congo, Guinea Bissau or play some teams after a long time such as Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Egypt, Libya, Cuba since games got cancelled due to politics or financial reasons or CQ and FFIRI couldn't agree with opponent's terms.

The reasons TM played:

- Nicaragua was to try out and test domestic Iran league players to select some of them for the 2022 World Cup.

- Papua New Guinea was because TM had to play a Qualifier versus Syria in Malaysia and needed a warm-up match to be played in Malaysia, Papua New Guinea was available and could easily travel there, the match would be considered light for TM squad and good opportunity for benchwarmers/reserves.

Under CQ, some matches played were unofficial and not counted for FIFA:

- Few friendlies with Iraq and Jordan
- Only encounters with Mozambique and Mauritania
- Tunisia match before 2022 World Cup

In CQ era, TM faced the most new opponents:

- England (2022 World Cup)
- Nicaragua 2022
- Bolivia 2018
- Sierra Leone 2018
- Spain (2018 World Cup)
- Morocco (2018 World Cup)
- Lithuania 2018
- Papua New Guinea 2016
- Trinidad and Tobago 2014
- Montenegro 2014
- Tunisia 2012
- Albania 2012
- Mozambique 2012
- Mauritania 2012
- Madagascar 2011

Did I miss anything else?


Also, in the history of Iranian football the reason TM plays the following are because of neutral/warm diplomatic relations.

- Kenya, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia, Belarus, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Venezuela, Panama, Togo

In the past Costa Rica, Jamaica, North Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon played TM several times as well.

Currently, TM should really have Burkina Faso, Uganda, Guinea, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Armenia in extension list for friendly matches. It's always better to have teams from outside of Asia for friendly matches and if the teams are low ranked would be ideal for reserve players.

But coming back to World Cup preparation, I'm fuming and worried because there's no plan and always TM gets hurt because of lack of preparation or mismanagement.

Ideally the plan should be:

- use CAFA tournament to try out new players and provide reserves/benchwarmers with game time. That means Taremi, Azmoon, Jahanbakhsh, Beiranvand, Ezatollahi, Ghoddos not participate.

- negotiate now with realistic options from Europe, South America, North/Central America, Africa stop chasing Argentina, Belgium, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia etc.

By realistic I mean teams available for 2025 friendlies North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Tunisia, Algeria, South Africa, DR Congo, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Chile, Uruguay, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama.

If no political/financial obstacles then try to get Poland, Czechia, Latvia, Lithuania, Egypt, Paraguay, Peru, Honduras.

then if all fails, have friendly match with the usual teams or easy to arrange Angola, Kenya, Togo, Uganda, Nicaragua, Trinidad and Tobago, El Salvador.

For 2026, they can try and arrange Brazil, Colombia, Norway, Switzerland, Croatia, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon (provided they can come up with sum), Turkiye, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Ireland, Slovenia, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Albania, Moldova, Kosovo.

[Pluto2000]

but get overjoyed whenever TM plays Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Oman, etc

I don't think there is anyone in this forum who gets overjoyed when TM plays any of those teams...we always groan. Same with CAFA teams too...we're all sick of all of those teams and facing them so often

[Rooyintan]

I don't think there is anyone in this forum who gets overjoyed when TM plays any of those teams...we always groan. Same with CAFA teams too...we're all sick of all of those teams and facing them so often

TM plays CAFA teams once in a blue moon:

- Afghanistan was played after 74 years
- Tajikistan last played in 2012
- Kyrgyzstan does not face TM regularly and has faced TM only 6 times
- Turkmenistan does not face TM regularly but yes there were 10 matches (so yeah maybe you don't want to see TM playing them )

The only one who is regular is Uzbekistan.

[perspolis#1]

I don't understand why some of the forum members, Iranian football fans overall, the toxic Iranian media/football pishkesvat both in Iran and outside criticize playing low ranked teams from other continents but get overjoyed whenever TM plays Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Oman, etc

I would rather watch a 10 hour compilation of people fumbling and dropping tahdig on the floor than watch us play any Arab team in a friendly

[Rooyintan]

I would rather watch a 10 hour compilation of people fumbling and dropping tahdig on the floor than watch us play any Arab team in a friendly

I meant those who complain about CAFA tournament or friendly matches with Angola, Kenya, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Venezuela, Panama, Sierra Leone, Togo, Burkina Faso, Trinidad and Tobago, Papua New Guinea, Bulgaria or ensure matches with Cape Verde, Cuba, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kosovo, Uganda don't happen.

Such people all those who get overjoyed by TM facing Iraq, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Oman, Yemen and dream about facing Saudi Arabia in friendly match.

Such known people are:

- Mohammad Mayeli Kohan
- Masoud Eghbali
- Mirshad Majedi
- Khodadad Azizi
- Farshad Piyous
- Mohammad Taghavi
- Mohammad Hossein Misaghi
- Mohammad Reza Ahmadi
- IRI news agencies (in particular newspapers)
- some other former coaches or players
- some forum members here

Let's not forget some former TM players in their playing era preferred friendly matches with Arab teams and participating in WAFF tournament than face a strong non-Asian team such as Mexico or face a new opponent Armenia.

- Vahid Hashemian (deliberately missed both Armenia and Mexico)
- Mehdi Mahdavikia (deliberately missed both Armenia and Mexico)
- Ali Karimi (deliberately missed both Armenia and Mexico)
- Hossein Kaabi (maybe he was no longer in TM squad during 2010, if he was then he also missed both matches)
- Andranik Teymourian (deliberately missed both Armenia and Mexico)

[perspolis#1]

Such people all those who get overjoyed by TM facing Iraq, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Oman, Yemen and dream about facing Saudi Arabia in friendly match.

I think its because Arab teams are something familiar and not weak enough for the coaches/staff you listed to be in trouble for losing to in a one off whereas an unfamiliar team has the risk of being either too weak(we usually know ahead of time) or an unfamiliar team our level or stronger could embarass the team/coach.

Arab teams are super familiar and the excuse can always be "we were experimenting".

GN does not want to lose the job before WC.

He would be willing to say no friendlies at all before our first match if he could

[Pluto2000]

I think its because Arab teams are something familiar and not weak enough for the coaches/staff you listed to be in trouble for losing to in a one off whereas an unfamiliar team has the risk of being either too weak(we usually know ahead of time) or an unfamiliar team our level or stronger could embarass the team/coach.

Arab teams are super familiar and the excuse can always be "we were experimenting".

GN does not want to lose the job before WC.

He would be willing to say no friendlies at all before our first match if he could

its also a travel problem. Traveling from Iran to Nicaragua for a friendly with a team ranked 131 is not very feasible. Its why it makes immediate neighbors are more appetizing