Neither team wants to play, but the Iran-Egypt match is a "rainbow match." Norway faces France, who are missing their national team captain, in a group final, and Belgium and Uruguay have knives to their throats. Here's everything you need to know ahead of Friday's World Cup matches.
SportsNeither team wants to, but the Iran vs Egypt match is a "rainbow match." Norway face France, who are missing their national team captain, in a group final, and Belgium and Uruguay have a knife to their throats. Here's everything you need to know ahead of Friday's World Cup matches.
SportsIranian international Mehdi Torabi's continued World Cup participation is in jeopardy, the state-run IRNA news agency reports. The winger was granted only a one-time visa to the United States and is now reportedly not allowed to re-enter the country.
SportsIran is one of the most talked-about teams at the World Cup, even though they are unlikely to challenge for the World Cup title. But the team's situation is unique in World Cup history because Iran is at war with the host nation, the United States. "Our goal is to fight for our people, represent our country and show how good we are," said Iranian player Mohammad Ghorbani.
SportsIran's national football team will move its base for this summer's World Cup tournament from the United States to Mexico, the chairman of the Iranian Football Federation said in a statement on Saturday.
FootballThe International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) had an "excellent" and "constructive" meeting with Iran ahead of the World Cup, said the federation's Swedish secretary-general, Mattias Grafström.
FootballIran will play in the football World Cup - but has a list of ten demands. Everyone should be granted visas without problems, federation chairman Mehdi Taj said on state television.
FootballThe war in the Middle East has created uncertainty over Iran's participation in the World Cup. FIFA has invited the Iranian Football Federation to talks.
FootballIran's delegation to the FIFA Congress in Vancouver has left Canada after its visas were revoked. Iran's football chairman Mehdi Taj is said to have been a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Canada designated as a terrorist organization in 2024.
FootballFootballer Sardar Azmoun has been suspended from the Iranian national team over a now-deleted Instagram photo with the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, Reuters reports, citing Iranian state news agency Fars.
SportsCan Iran participate in this summer's World Cup? The country's football federation has not given a clear statement. "We will boycott the United States, but not the World Cup," says federation chairman Mehdi Taj.
Football"There is still great uncertainty about whether Iran will participate in this summer's World Cup after the dramatic developments in the country. One thing that is certain is that after this attack we cannot be expected to be looking forward to the World Cup," Mehdi Taj, chairman of the Iranian Football Federation, said, according to the AP.
FootballNext summer, Iran and Egypt will face each other in the World Cup in the United States – and the organizers in Seattle see it as a pride match. The Iranian Football Federation is not happy with this and wants to stop the event, reports the state news agency ISNA. The Egyptian Football Federation is also protesting the initiative.
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