Team Melli’s pre-WC friendly fixtures announced

Tehran Times – TEHRAN, Iran national football team will play several friendly matches as part of the preparation for the 2018 World Cup.

Team Melli will start their friendlies with a match against Libya on March 14 in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium. The warm-up match was originally scheduled to be played behind closed doors but the Iranian football federation announced the fans could attend the game.

Carlos Queiroz’s team will play one of Tunisia, Senegal and Bosnia & Herzegovina teams on March 22 in Tehran and meet Algeria five days later in the same location.

Team Melli will face Uzbekistan on May 8 and meet one of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan teams three days later at the Azadi Stadium.

On May 20, the Iranian national football team will play Turkey in Istanbul.

Team Melli have been scheduled to meet the as-yet-unnamed team on May 28 in Tehran before leaving the country for their European training camp in Austria.

Iran will face Greece in Austria on June. 2. Noting that it’s possible one of Albania or Poland teams could replace Greece.

Finally, the Persians will face a team who have qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Moscow on June 8.

Queiroz’s team have been drawn in Group B along with Spain, Morocco and Portugal.

Iran will open the campaign with a match against Morocco at Saint Petersburg on June 15.

Team Melli, meanwhile, face Spain in Kazan on 20 June before meeting Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Saransk five days later.