Iran defeats Mali in World Cup warm-up match

Iran Beats Mali in Final Friendly Before 2026 World Cup Departure

In their final competitive match before departing for Mexico, Iran defeated Mali 2-0 in a friendly match held in Turkiye’s Antalya city on Thursday. The win marked the team’s fourth consecutive victory in their four friendlies this year, with midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi and right back Ramin Rezaeian scoring goals either side of half-time.

The match took place after Iran’s domestic league was suspended following US and Israel air strikes on the Islamic republic in late February, which led to a regional war. The team has been competing in friendlies since then. Iranian officials confirmed that the squad will leave Turkiye on Saturday for their World Cup base in Tijuana, Mexico.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to host Iran’s squad after being informed that US authorities did not want them to stay in Arizona throughout the tournament. However, the team has yet to receive visas needed to enter the US to play group games against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and Egypt in Seattle.

Iranian FA President Mehdi Taj expressed concern over obtaining US visas for his team, citing the main issue as the presence of officials with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The US and Canada classify the IRGC as a “terrorist entity”. Taj was previously refused entry into Canada due to his links to the elite military force.

Source: Al Jazeera