Sardar Azmoun posted a photo, deleted it, and ended his World Cup. Iran's 26-man squad for the 2026 tournament was confirmed Monday, and the country's most recognizable striker wasn't on it.
The 31-year-old — who built his reputation at Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma — was dropped by coach Amir Ghalenoei back in March after posting a picture alongside Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai. Al Maktoum is a known U.S. ally and has publicly supported American involvement in operations against Iran. Azmoun deleted the post quickly. Not quickly enough.
Iranian authorities accused him of "treason" and a "disloyal act." That was that. A player with 5.8 million Instagram followers and arguably the biggest profile in Iranian football is now watching from home.
A squad built around Taremi — and political complexity
Azmoun's absence leaves Mehdi Taremi as the clear focal point of Iran's attack. Taremi, now at Olympiacos in Greece, is one of nine players in the squad based at clubs outside Iran. The other 17 play domestically — and haven't seen competitive football since February due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
That disruption matters. A squad largely built on players who've been inactive for months, heading into a World Cup, is a concern that won't show up in the headline odds but absolutely should. Iran have reached four consecutive World Cups and never once made it out of the group stage. Nothing in this preparation changes that trajectory.
The team has been training in Antalya, Turkey, and will move to their World Cup base on Friday. That base was originally set for Tucson, Arizona — it's now Tijuana. The shift solves two problems at once: security concerns given the geopolitical backdrop, and potential U.S. visa complications, which the federation said will be avoided by entering through Mexico.
Iran's Group G schedule — and a possible US showdown
Despite the relocation of their camp, FIFA rejected Iran's request to move their group matches off U.S. soil. They open Group G against their opener's opponent at SoFi Stadium on June 15, then face Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, before rounding out the group against Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
There's a scenario — admittedly requiring both sides to finish second in their groups — where Iran and the United States meet in the knockout rounds. The two countries faced off at the 2022 World Cup, where Christian Pulisic's goal sent the U.S. through 1-0. Given the current political climate, that fixture would be one of the most charged matches in the tournament's history.
Whether Iran are competitive enough to reach that stage is a different question. A squad missing its most prominent European-based striker, coming off months without competitive matches, playing group games in a country they've had active diplomatic hostility with — the circumstances are unlike anything most teams at this tournament will face. Backing them to advance from Group G looks a long way from safe.
