Iran are the focus of our latest Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026 team preview.
Amir Ghalenoei’s men were one of the first teams to secure qualification for the tournament, yet Iran’s conflicts with the US have severely impacted their preparations.
In these country-by-country guides, we’ll be looking at the best players from each nation, reviewing the road to the World Cup and more.
SQUAD
THE ROAD TO QUALIFICATION
Iran cruised through qualification, confirming their World Cup spot as early as March 2025.
After progressing from their second round group undefeated, they went on to lose only one of their 10 matches in the third round.
Throughout the two phases, they racked up 11 wins, suffering only one defeat when qualification was already secured.
The cornerstone of Iran’s success in qualifying was a well-drilled defensive unit, with clean sheets in half of their games.
The underlying data impressed, too:
BIGGEST GOAL THREATS IN QUALIFICATION
Mehdi Taremi ($6.1m) was in fine form throughout qualifying, netting 10 goals (including two penalties) in 15 appearances.
The Olympiakos forward led the way for shots and non-penalty expected goals (NPxG).
Sardar Azmoun wasn’t far behind, finding the net eight times. However, he hasn’t been called up to the World Cup squad.
MOST CREATIVE PLAYERS IN QUALIFYING
Taremi also bossed the creative metrics, leading the way for expected assists (xA) and key passes, which underscores his all-round appeal.
Saman Ghoddos ($4.9m) was third for xA and should be one of Iran’s chief creators this summer.
SINCE QUALIFICATION
| Date | Opposition | Result (Iran first) | Goalscorers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 June 2026 | Mali (n) | 2-0 | Ezatolahi, Rezaeian |
| 29 May 2026 | Gambia (n) | 3-1 | Yousefi, Rezaeian, Taremi |
| 31 March 2026 | Costa Rica (n) | 5-0 | Gholizadeh, Taremi x2 (both pens), Mohebbi, Ghayedi |
| 27 March 2026 | Nigeria (n) | 1-2 | Taremi |
In their two March friendlies, Iran suffered a 2-1 defeat to Nigeria, followed by a 5-0 win over Costa Rica. Taremi was on the scoresheet three times in those matches.
Since then, they’ve beaten Gambia and Mali in their World Cup warm-ups, so they should head into the tournament with a sense of confidence.
Budget defender Ramin Rezaeian ($4.0m) notably scored in both of the recent friendlies (more on him later).
WORLD CUP FIXTURES
Iran are hoping to reach the knockout phase for the first time and have one of the best fixtures of the opening round.
The lowest-ranked team in this World Cup, New Zealand, were really poor in a 4-0 loss to Haiti recently. They followed it up with a 1-0 defeat against England on Saturday.
There are matches against Belgium and Egypt after, so it’s Round 1, followed by Round 3, which carries the most potential for Iran assets.
TOP FANTASY PICKS
Mehdi Taremi ($6.1m) is Iran’s talisman.
A reliable source of goals, he’s netted four times in the last four friendlies and takes penalties/direct free-kicks.
Having scored 10 and assisted seven of Iran’s 35 goals in qualifying, Taremi could be a very decent option if you need a cheap forward for Round 1.
Like Taremi, Ramin Rezaeian ($4.0m) also qualifies for the Scouting Bonus.
An attacking full-back, as evidenced by his recent goals against Mali and Gambia, he is known for his crossing ability and could offer value against New Zealand and, to a slightly lesser extent, Egypt.
Ex-Brentford man Saman Ghoddos ($4.9m) is prominent on set-pieces in midfield, although there are probably better options elsewhere in his price bracket.
