Sardar Azmoun posted one photo. That was enough to end his World Cup.
Iran confirmed their 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Monday, and the 31-year-old striker — widely known as the 'Iranian Messi' during his time at Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma — wasn't in it. He's been out since March, when coach Amir Ghalenoei dropped him after a social media post alongside Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai and a known U.S. ally who has publicly supported President Trump's involvement in the conflict against Iran. Azmoun deleted the photo quickly. Not quickly enough.
Iranian authorities accused him of "treason" and a "disloyal act." With 5.8 million Instagram followers, the image had already spread. The damage was done.
A squad navigating war and politics
The circumstances around this squad go well beyond one dropped player. Iran hasn't played a competitive match since February due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, and the team has been training in Antalya, Turkey, with plans to travel to their World Cup base soon. That base has already shifted — originally set for Tucson, Arizona, it's been moved to Tijuana, Mexico, partly to sidestep potential visa complications by entering the U.S. through Mexico rather than directly.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed Iran's participation in April after real doubt existed about whether they'd compete at all. They will. But they'll do it without Azmoun and with 17 players drawn from domestic clubs that have been dormant since February — hardly ideal preparation for a World Cup.
Mehdi Taremi, now at Olympiacos, leads the attack instead. He's one of nine squad members based abroad.
Iran's Group G schedule and what's at stake
Iran open Group G against the United States at SoFi Stadium on June 15 — a fixture loaded with geopolitical weight regardless of what happens on the pitch. They follow that with Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21, then Egypt in Seattle on June 26.
The optics of Iran vs. USA in the current climate are obvious. From a football standpoint, Iran's World Cup odds deserve skepticism: they've reached four consecutive tournaments and never once made it out of the group stage. A squad missing its most recognisable attacker, built largely around players who haven't played competitively in months, faces one of the most politically charged group draws in the tournament.
- June 15 — Iran vs. USA, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
- June 21 — Iran vs. Belgium, Los Angeles
- June 26 — Iran vs. Egypt, Seattle
The last time these two met, Christian Pulisic's first-half goal was enough. The U.S. won 1-0 and advanced. Iran went home. Three years later, the circumstances are stranger, the stakes feel higher, and Azmoun — the player who might have changed that equation — will be watching from somewhere else.
