Iran at the FIFA World Cup

Iran national football team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia

Iran have appeared in the FIFA World Cup on seven occasions: in 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026. They are yet to progress from the group stages.[1][2]

In March 2025, they qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a 2–2 home draw against Uzbekistan in the third round of AFC qualification and will make a seventh finals appearance.[3]

Record at the FIFA World Cup qualification

As of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification - 1 March 2026
RankTeamPartMWDLGFGAGDPoints
1 Mexico171891214127453134+319404
2 Australia161771064427445132+313362
3 South Korea16167105441833998+241359
4 Iran121621033920351101+250348
5 Costa Rica18197985148334191+141345
6 Argentina15171984429293145+148338
7 Japan1615496292935994+265317
8 Netherlands20143952820356105+251313
9 Brazil1414590371830492+212307
10 Saudi Arabia13154893827288116+172305
11 Uruguay18190845353262198+64305
12 England1813092271133670+266303
13 Spain2013192271231283+229303
14 Portugal22155873632304153+151297
15 Belgium21149863031331154+177294

Record at the FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup finals record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930Not a FIFA member No qualification
Italy 1934Not a FIFA member
France 1938
Brazil 1950Did not enter Did not enter
Switzerland 1954
Sweden 1958
Chile 1962
England 1966
Mexico 1970
West Germany 1974Did not qualify 851296
Argentina 1978First round14th301228Squad121020203
Spain 1982Withdrew Withdrew
Mexico 1986Disqualified Disqualified
Italy 1990Did not qualify 6501125
United States 1994 115332313
France 1998Group stage20th310224Squad178635717
South Korea Japan 2002Did not qualify14932369
Germany 2006Group stage25th301226Squad12912297
South Africa 2010Did not qualify14581159
Brazil 2014 Group stage 28th 301214Squad161042307
Russia 2018 18th 311122Squad181260365
Qatar 202226th310247Squad 181413498
Canada Mexico United States 202633rd303033Squad 1611413512
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
TotalFirst round7/232137111634—1621033920351101

Argentina 1978

Group 4

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Peru 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 5 Advance to second round
2  Netherlands 3 1 1 1 5 3 +2 3
3  Scotland 3 1 1 1 5 6 −1 3
4  Iran 3 0 1 2 2 8 −6 1
Source: FIFA
Netherlands 3–0 Iran
Rensenbrink 40' (pen.), 62', 78' (pen.) Report
Attendance: 33,431
Referee: Alfonso González Archundia (Mexico)
Scotland 1–1 Iran
Eskandarian red-colored football 43' (o.g.) Report Danaeifard 60'
Attendance: 7,938
Referee: Youssou N'Diaye (Senegal)
Peru 4–1 Iran
Velásquez 2'
Cubillas 36' (pen.), 39' (pen.), 79'		 Report Rowshan 41'
Attendance: 21,262

France 1998

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Germany 3 2 1 0 6 2 +4 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  FR Yugoslavia 3 2 1 0 4 2 +2 7
3  Iran 3 1 0 2 2 4 −2 3
4  United States 3 0 0 3 1 5 −4 0
Source: FIFA
FR Yugoslavia 1–0 Iran
Mihajlović 72' (Report)
Attendance: 30,600
Referee: Alberto Tejada (Peru)
United States 1–2 Iran
McBride 87' (Report) Estili 40'
Mahdavikia 84'
Attendance: 39,100
Germany 2–0 Iran
Bierhoff 50'
Klinsmann 57'		 (Report)
Attendance: 29,800

Germany 2006

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Portugal 3 3 0 0 5 1 +4 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Mexico 3 1 1 1 4 3 +1 4
3  Angola 3 0 2 1 1 2 −1 2
4  Iran 3 0 1 2 2 6 −4 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria
Mexico 3–1 Iran
Bravo 28', 76'
Zinha 79'		 (Report) Golmohammadi 36'
Attendance: 41,000
Portugal 2–0 Iran
Deco 63'
Ronaldo 80' (pen.)		 (Report)
Attendance: 48,000
Referee: Éric Poulat (France)
Iran 1–1 Angola
Bakhtiarizadeh 75' (Report) Flávio 60'
Attendance: 38,000

Brazil 2014

Group F

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Argentina 3 3 0 0 6 3 +3 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Nigeria 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 4
3  Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
4  Iran 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria
Iran 0–0 Nigeria
Report
Attendance: 39,081
Referee: Carlos Vera (Ecuador)
Argentina 1–0 Iran
Messi 90+1' Report
Attendance: 57,698

Russia 2018

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Spain 3 1 2 0 6 5 +1 5 Advance to knockout stage
2  Portugal 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1 5
3  Iran 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
4  Morocco 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Morocco 0–1 Iran
Report Bouhaddouz red-colored football 90+5' (o.g.)
Attendance: 62,548
Iran 0–1 Spain
Report Costa 54'
Attendance: 42,718
Iran 1–1 Portugal
Ansarifard 90+3' (pen.) Report Quaresma 45'
Attendance: 41,685

Qatar 2022

Simultaneous to the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran, the team declined to sing the national anthem prior to their match with England.[4] Prior to the match, captain Ehsan Hajsafi, said that the team support protestors.[4] In 2nd match they sing the national anthem and they won the match against Wales.

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  England 3 2 1 0 9 2 +7 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  United States 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 5
3  Iran 3 1 0 2 4 7 −3 3
4  Wales 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
England 6–2 Iran
 [Report 1]
Attendance: 45,334
Wales 0–2 Iran
[Report 2]
Attendance: 40,875
Iran 0–1 United States
[Report 3]
Attendance: 42,127

United States/Mexico/Canada 2026

Prior to the Iran vs. Belgium match at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Iran's participation became uncertain months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the 2026 Iran war with Israel and the United States conducting military operations on the country.[5][6] A request to move Iran's group stage matches to Mexico was denied.[6] The Iran team which took base in Tijuana, eventually participated however they were only allowed to stay in the United States one day prior to their match day and had to return to Mexico the same evening after each match.[6]

Group G

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Belgium 3 1 2 0 6 2 +4 5[a] Advance to knockout stage
2  Egypt 3 1 2 0 5 3 +2 5[a]
3  Iran 3 0 3 0 3 3 0 3
4  New Zealand 3 0 1 2 4 10 −6 1
Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Tied on head-to-head result (Belgium 1–1 Egypt). Overall goal difference was used as the tiebreaker.
Iran 2–2 New Zealand
 [Report 4]
Attendance: 70,108
Belgium 0–0 Iran
[Report 5]
Attendance: 70,317
Egypt 1–1 Iran
 [Report 6]
Attendance: 66,925

By match

No. World Cup Round Opponent Score Result Iran scorer(s)
1 1978Group 4 Netherlands0–3L
2  Scotland1–1DDanaeifard 60'
3  Peru1–4LRowshan 41'
4 1998Group F FR Yugoslavia0–1L
5  United States2–1WEstili 40', Mahdavikia 84'
6  Germany0–2L
7 2006Group D Mexico1–3LGolmohammadi 36'
8  Portugal0–2L
9  Angola1–1DBakhtiarizadeh 75'
10 2014Group F Nigeria0–0D
11  Argentina0–1L
12  Bosnia and Herzegovina1–3LGhoochannejhad 82'
13 2018Group B Morocco1–0WBouhaddouz red-colored football 90+5' (o.g.)
14  Spain0–1L
15  Portugal1–1DAnsarifard 90+3' (pen.)
16 2022Group B England2–6LTaremi 65', 90+13' (pen.)
17  Wales2–0WCheshmi 90+8', Rezaeian 90+11'
18  United States0–1L
19 2026Group G New Zealand2–2DRezaeian 32', Mohebi 64'
20  Belgium0–0D
21  Egypt1–1DRezaeian 14'

Player records

Most appearances

Rank Player Matches World Cups
1 Ehsan Hajsafi112014, 2018, 2022 and 2026
2 Alireza Jahanbakhsh102014, 2018, 2022 and 2026
3 Mehdi Taremi92018, 2022 and 2026
4 Alireza Beiranvand82018, 2022 and 2026
Saeid Ezatolahi82018, 2022 and 2026
Milad Mohammadi82018, 2022 and 2026
Ramin Rezaeian82018, 2022 and 2026
8 Saman Ghoddos72018, 2022 and 2026
9 Mehdi Mahdavikia61998 and 2006
Andranik Teymourian62006 and 2014
Karim Ansarifard62014, 2018 and 2022
Sardar Azmoun62018 and 2022
Majid Hosseini62018 and 2022
Morteza Pouraliganji62018 and 2022

Goalscorers

On 7 June 1978, Iraj Danaeifard made history by scoring Iran's first-ever FIFA World Cup goal, coming in their opening match against Scotland in Córdoba.

Player Goals 1978 1998 2006 2014 2018 2022 2026
Ramin Rezaeian 3 12
Mehdi Taremi 2 2
Iraj Danaeifard 1 1
Hassan Rowshan 1 1
Hamid Estili 1 1
Mehdi Mahdavikia 1 1
Yahya Golmohammadi 1 1
Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh 1 1
Reza Ghoochannejhad 1 1
Karim Ansarifard 1 1
Rouzbeh Cheshmi 1 1
Mohammad Mohebbi 1 1
Own goal 1 1
Total 16 2221243

Head-to-head record

See also

References

  1. ↑ O'Callaghan, Eoin (20 June 2018). "Great Satan 1-2 Iran: the most politically charged match in World Cup history". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  2. ↑ "تاریخچه حضور ایران در جام جهانی" [History of Iran at the FIFA World Cup] (in Persian). 11 October 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  3. ↑ "Iran qualifies for 2026 World Cup, Australia close". 25 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Iran players decline to sing national anthem". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2022-11-22.
  5. ↑ "Iran 'boycotting' United States but not World Cup, says football federation chief". Le Monde. 19 March 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 "Iran World Cup team was ordered out of U.S. right after first match, coach says". CBS News. 16 June 2026. Retrieved 17 June 2026.

Reports

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑
  5. ↑
  6. ↑
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.