Iran have develop into the sixth workforce to qualify for the 2026 World Cup because of their 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan on the Azadi Stadium in Tehran on Tuesday. Iran be part of Japan and New Zealand as the primary international locations to have punched their ticket by way of the standard qualification course of, whereas co-hosts United States, Mexico and Canada certified routinely.
Internazionale striker Mehdi Taremi was largely to thank for Staff Melli’s accomplishment on Tuesday, scoring each objectives in an in any other case sloppy efficiency from Iran. The Iranian protection let in two comfortable objectives from Uzbekistan, who can assure their place on the World Cup with a victory in both of their two remaining qualifiers.
Tuesday’s end result means Iran are assured to complete within the high two of Group A within the third qualifying of AFC qualifying, incomes them passage to the workforce’s fourth World Cup finals in a row, and seventh of their historical past. It stands as a serious accomplishment for Iran, whilst qualifying from Asia has been made simpler because of the World Cup’s newly expanded, 48-team format.
Nonetheless, the nation’s present relations with america, which can be host the majority of the event’s video games, may make it onerous, if not not possible for Iran’s followers and doubtlessly even gamers and workers, to journey to the nation for the video games.
In a latest memo, the issuing of which was reported by Reuters, Iran was listed amongst 41 international locations that will face partial or full bans on residents coming into america by the Donald Trump administration. Iran particularly is listed amongst a gaggle of 10 international locations, together with Afghanistan, Syria, Cuba and North Korea, that will be set for a full visa suspension.
That memo was issued after a 20 January government order that required elevated vetting of overseas nationals from international locations deemed to be a nationwide safety menace. That listing is sort of sure to incorporate Iran, as did Trump’s 2017 ban on predominantly Muslim international locations.
Regardless of the co-hosting association with Mexico and Canada, this can be very possible that Iran could be scheduled to play inside america when the 2026 World Cup comes round. At current, just one spot on the event (The third-seeded workforce in Group A) would enable for the opportunity of a non-host workforce to play all of their group video games outdoors america. That spot would play all three group video games in Mexico, with the second sport coming in opposition to the house nation. Iran may solely keep away from enjoying in america by profitable Group A, and would proceed to play video games in Mexico till transferring to Miami for the quarter-finals.
Iran, nevertheless, have by no means made it out of the group stage on the World Cup. They got here the closest to doing so on the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the place a 1-1 draw with Portugal on the final day of group play was sufficient to maintain them out of the spherical of 16. That was adopted up on the 2022 World Cup when a 1-0 loss to america eradicated Iran when a draw would have seen them by way of to the knockout levels.
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