Iran's football team arrived in Turkey on Monday for a training camp and to complete visa applications ahead of the 2026 World Cup, AFP correspondents said.

Ghalenoei did not explain the reason for omitting Azmoun, who has scored 57 goals in 91 internationals, but Iran's state news agency IRNA reported that the former Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma striker was left out due to injury.

FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom described as "excellent" and "constructive" the meeting held on Saturday in Istanbul with the Iranian federation to ensure Iran's participation in the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Iran and the US cut diplomatic ties in 1980 and the players are expected to use their time in Turkey to complete the necessary procedures for obtaining visas.

In the Strait of Hormuz, US warships menace Iran's oil tankers, while in Washington President Donald Trump demands "complete victory." But in Tucson, they're getting ready to welcome the Iranian football team as if nothing were amiss.

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Iran's football federation said on Saturday that the men's national team will take part in the 2026 World Cup this summer, but demanded that joint hosts the United States, Mexico and Canada agree to its conditions amid the Middle East war.

Iran have suffered a significant on-field blow ahead of their World Cup campaign after winger Ali Gholizadeh suffered a season-ending knee injury while playing for his club Lech Poznan in Poland.

Iran's Hossein Vafaei caused the biggest shock of this year's World Snooker Championship as he beat world number one Judd Trump in a final frame decider on Monday.

Iran's footballers will be welcome at this year's World Cup, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday, distancing the US government from a proposal that Italy could take their place in the tournament.

The prospect of Iran being replaced at the “greatest show on earth” has stirred a mix of disbelief and indifference across Italy, after a suggestion by a US envoy reignited debate over the intersection of politics and sport.

Iran's government will only decide on the national team's participation in the World Cup once they receive a response from FIFA over the relocation of their matches, the country's Minister of Sport Ahmad Donyamali said.

Iran's participation in the World Cup as a whole is under a cloud because of the ongoing conflict with the United States, who are co-hosting the June 11-July 19 tournament with Mexico and Canada.

Iranian women's national football squad arrived in eastern Turkey and headed to the Iran border on their way home Wednesday, among them several players who withdrew an asylum bid in Australia.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that her country is prepared to host Iran's first-round matches at the 2026 World Cup if needed due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Iran's football federation is "negotiating" with FIFA to relocate the country's first-round matches at the World Cup to Mexico from the United States, citing the conflict in the Middle East, Iran's embassy in Mexico said Monday.

The Asian Football Confederation said on Monday it has not received any notification from Iran that it will withdraw its national soccer team from the World Cup.

Iran says no one can exclude it from the World Cup later this year, in response to President Donald Trump's warning that their "life and safety" would be at risk in the US.

Iran cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup after co-host the United States launched airstrikes against the country alongside Israel, killing its leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sports minister Ahmad Donyamali said on Wednesday.

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