WCQ 2026: Iran squad named for Uzbekistan and Qatar matches

Tehran Times – TEHRAN, Amir Ghalenoei has called up 27 players to Iran national team for two matches against Uzbekistan and Qatar in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Team Melli are scheduled to play Uzbekistan on Oct. 10 in Tashkent and will host Qatar on Oct. 15 in Mashhad.

Persepolis defender Hossein Kanaani missed the matches after suffering foot injury in match against Chadormalu in Iran league. Other notable absentees are Westerlo winger Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, and FC Orenburg striker Saeid Saharkhizan.

Iran and Uzbekistan are on six points, with the latter having defeated DPR Korea and Kyrgyzstan in their opening two matches while Team Melli were victorious against Kyrgyzstan and the United Arab Emirates in Group A.

Squad

Goalkeepers:
Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan), Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal)

Defenders:
Ali Nemati (Foolad), Shoja Khalilzadeh (Tractor), Mohammad Daneshgar (Sepahan), Mohammadamin Hazbavi (Sepahan), Mohammadmehdi Zare (Gol Gohar), Saleh Hardani (Sepahan), Aria Yousefi (Sepahan), Milad Mohammadi (Persepolis), Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal)

Midfielders:
Saeid Ezatollahi (Shabab Al Ahli), Mohammad Karimi (Sepahan), Mohammad Ghorbani (Orenburg), Saman Ghoddos (Al Ittihad Kalba), Omid Noorafkan (Malavan), Mohammadjavad Hosseinnejad (Dinamo Makhachkala), Mohammad Mohebbi (Rostov), Mehdi Torabi (Tractor), Mehdi Ghaedi (Al Ittihad Kalba), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (?), Ali Gholizadeh (Lech Poznan), Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor)

Strikers:
Mehdi Taremi (Inter Milan), Sardar Azmoun (Shabab Al Ahli), Shahriar Moghanlou (Al Ittihad Kalba)