Iran squad in race against time for World Cup readiness amid US-Israel war
Summary
Iran’s national soccer team faces challenges getting ready for the World Cup because their league was paused due to a conflict involving the US and Israel. The coach says most players have not played for seven weeks but hopes training camps in Turkiye will improve their fitness before the tournament starts in June.Key Facts
- Iran’s soccer league stopped after a US and Israel attack on February 28, causing a regional war.
- The league will not restart until after the World Cup.
- Most players on Iran’s 30-man World Cup squad play in Iran and have trained mostly in Tehran.
- The coach, Amir Ghalenoei, says players are not fully ready but hopes to improve them by 20-25% during a camp in Turkiye.
- Iran plans friendly matches against The Gambia (May 29) and possibly Puerto Rico before the World Cup.
- The final 26-man World Cup squad will be named by June 1.
- Iran’s World Cup games are against New Zealand (June 15), Belgium (June 21), and Egypt (June 26) in the US.
- The team trains in Turkiye and may enter the US for a training camp in Arizona if allowed.
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