Iran Names World Cup Squad Without Sardar Azmoun Amid Controversy

Iran named their 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, but one major name was missing – striker Sardar Azmoun. The 31-year-old forward, who has scored 57 goals in 91 matches for Iran and is one of the country’s most successful strikers, was left out of the final squad by coach Amir Ghalenoei. The decision has surprised many fans and sparked debate across Iran. Reports suggest Azmoun’s omission is linked to a social media post he shared in March. The striker, who plays for UAE club Shabab Al Ahli, posted a picture of himself meeting UAE ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The post reportedly angered Iranian authorities at a time of heightened political tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Iranian media claimed the post was viewed as an act of disloyalty to the country. As a result, Azmoun was dropped from the national team setup earlier this year and was not included in the preliminary World Cup squad either. The controversy grew so much that Iran’s Vice President Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh publicly appealed for Azmoun to be recalled, highlighting his importance to the national team. However, coach Ghalenoei decided against bringing him back for the tournament. “The need of the homeland is to preserve the threads of connection between its children. Let us not overlook Sardar Azmoun’s action in displaying this bond, and if possible, bring him back to the national team,” he wrote on X on Monday. While some officials have pointed to injury or technical reasons for his absence, many observers believe political factors played a major role in the decision. Azmoun had also previously voiced support for women’s rights during protests in Iran, putting him at odds with authorities. Despite missing out on the World Cup, Azmoun has publicly wished his teammates well and said he will continue supporting the national team from afar. Alireza Beiranvand, Payam Niazmand, Hossein Hosseini Defenders: Ehsan Hajsafi, Milad Mohammadi, Ali Nemati, Shojae Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Danial Eiri, Ramin Rezaeian, Saleh Hardani. Midfielders: Saman Ghoddos, Saeid Ezatolahi, Mohammad Ghorbani, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Amirmohammad Razzaghinia, Mohammad Mohebi, Mehdi Torabi, Mehdi Ghayedi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Aria Yousefi. Forwards: Mehdi Taremi, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Ali Alipour, Shahriyar Moghanlou, Dennis Eckert (known in Iran as Dennis Dargahi, Standard Liege, Bel).