Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj said on May 29 he was unaware of any plans to bring striker Sardar Azmoun back into Iran’s preliminary squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, contradicting calls from a senior government official to recall the forward [1, 2].

Azmoun, 31, is one of Iran’s top international scorers with 57 goals in 91 matches, but he was excluded from coach Amir Ghalenoei’s initial World Cup list amid speculation that political factors influenced his omission. Azmoun reportedly lost favour after posting a photo with Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum shortly after US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, angering hardline supporters who questioned his loyalty [1, 2].

On May 29, Iranian Vice President Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh publicly urged Azmoun’s reinstatement. He described the decision as "not merely a sporting decision, but a message in favour of national unity," emphasizing the political significance of Azmoun’s involvement [1]. Taj responded, "This matter will be followed up through the proper discussions. As for Mr. Sardar, I'm not currently aware of his situation" [2].

The Iranian national team’s preliminary World Cup squad has been training in Turkey ahead of submitting a final 26-player roster to FIFA by June 1. Selected players will base themselves in Tijuana, Mexico, instead of the US following a US request to avoid hosting the Iranian team during the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19 across the US, Mexico, and Canada [1, 2].

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo confirmed FIFA contacted Mexico after the US declined to host Iran. Iran’s ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, thanked Mexico for hosting the squad and noted the team still lacks US visas for their matches in Los Angeles and Seattle [1, 2].

In late April, Mehdi Taj was refused entry to Canada for the FIFA Congress over alleged links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, illustrating persistent political tension affecting Iran’s football administration [1, 2]. Taj said FIFA must guarantee US visas for Iranian players to ensure their participation in World Cup matches on US soil [1, 2].

The final World Cup squad submission deadline is Monday, June 1, 2026. Discussions over Azmoun’s recall were ongoing as Iran prepared for the tournament.