Iran prepares for World Cup 2026 amidst ongoing conflicts

The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 4, 2026, 3:00 PM

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

Iran prepares for World Cup 2026 amidst ongoing conflicts

Summary

Team Melli is gearing up for the 2026 World Cup, scheduled to start on June 11. Their campaign is set against the backdrop of ongoing tensions with the US and Israel, which has added an extra layer of unpredictability to their participation. As one of the qualified teams, Iran is receiving significant attention from both fans and media. The tournament will feature previews from various nations as it approaches.

Source Links

The Guardian Sport

Key Details

•Team Melli begins their World Cup journey on June 11
•The campaign is amidst ongoing US-Israel tensions
•Iran is one of the 48 qualified teams
•Media coverage includes previews of multiple nations' squads

Latest Updates

3:00 PMThe Guardian Sport — Iran World Cup 2026 team guide

What they're saying

"
All eyes will be on Team Melli amid the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel, making their campaign one of the most unusual and unpredictable of recent times This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June. Continue reading...
— The Guardian Sportby Behnam Jafarzadeh

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