Iran will keep its domestic league suspended until the World Cup, while the national team is set to begin preparations for the tournament in the coming days. According to Central Asian football expert Alisher Nikimbayev, citing sources in Iran, the domestic championship will not resume before the World Cup.
The national team is expected to open its first training camp on Saturday. The initial phase will consist of a three-week camp in Iran, focused primarily on physical conditioning. A second stage of preparations could then take place in Turkey, where Iran are also expected to play a number of friendlies.
Against this backdrop, recent talk of a possible World Cup boycott appears to be fading. In late March, Reuters reported that Iran’s sports ministry had instructed national and club teams not to travel to countries it considers “hostile” until further notice. The statement came shortly before Tractor FC travelled to Saudi Arabia for an AFC Champions League Elite match.
Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali had earlier made even stronger remarks about the national team’s possible participation in the World Cup. However, no official decision to boycott the tournament was ever taken. Iranian Football Federation president Mehdi Taj later made it clear that the issue concerned matches on U.S. soil rather than participation in the World Cup itself. Reports also suggested that Iran had explored the possibility of moving its matches from the United States to Mexico, but the idea did not gain traction and no longer appears to be under discussion.
Despite the political rhetoric, Iranian football has not entered full isolation. While the domestic league is not expected to restart before the World Cup, clubs have continued to compete in continental competition. Tractor FC played their AFC Champions League Elite Round of 16 match in Jeddah, where they lost 3-0 to Shabab Al Ahli.
The game was shaped by two Iranian players on the UAE side. Sardar Azmoun won the penalty that led to the sending-off of Tractor goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, while Saeid Ezatolahi scored one of the goals.
Azmoun’s status with the national team, meanwhile, remains unclear. Iranian and international media have reported that he was left out of the squad after criticism over a photo with Dubai’s ruler. The Guardian wrote that he was omitted from Iran’s March fixtures. At the same time, there is no convincing public evidence of a formal long-term ban. For now, it is more accurate to say that he has fallen out of the squad amid a political controversy rather than being officially suspended.
Ezatolahi, by contrast, still appears to remain part of Iran’s national team setup, although he also missed the March friendlies. There are no confirmed reports that he has been suspended or excluded from the team.
Central Asian players, meanwhile, remain an important part of Iranian club football. However, with the league suspended, Tajik defender Vahdat Khanonov is now set to become a free agent earlier than expected. His contract with Sepahan runs until the summer of 2026. Uzbek players Igor Sergeev and Oston Urunov of Persepolis, Rustam Ashurmatov and Jaloliddin Masharipov of Esteghlal, and Odil Khamrobekov of Tractor are all under contract until 2027. Tajik winger Amadoni Kamolov remains tied to Gol Gohar for another year, while Kyrgyz forward Joel Kojo is contracted to Esteghlal until 2028.
