Iran drawn against Belgium, Egypt, New Zealand in 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G
The road to 2026 FIFA World Cup is now clear for Iran after Friday night’s draw in Washington, D.C. placed Team Melli in a potentially compelling and dramatic Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand.
The ceremony, held at the John F. Kennedy Center, brought together FIFA President Gianni Infantino, former global football stars and delegations from all 47 qualified nations.
Representing the Islamic Republic were head coach Amir Ghalenoei, team manager Mehdi Mohammad-Nabi, and Omid Jamali, head of the Iranian Football Federation’s international department. Former national player Mehdi Mahdavikia also attended at FIFA’s invitation.
Iran’s National Football Team coach, Ardeshir Amir Ghalenoei, attends the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony in Washington DC.
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The 2026 edition marks the tournament’s historic expansion to 47 teams, divided into 12 groups of four.
Each team will play three matches, with the top two from each group plus the eight best third-place finishers advancing to a newly enlarged round of 32. From there, the competition becomes straight knock-out football.
Seeding was based on FIFA’s global rankings, with hosts the United States, Canada, and Mexico automatically occupying Pot 1.
Infantino invited officials from all three host countries to the stage. In a symbolic act, they each drew a ball determining their own groups. Results were widely expected, placing Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the United States in Group D.
Iran entered the draw from Pot 2, alongside teams such as Morocco, Uruguay, Switzerland, Japan, and Senegal.
Football legends Rio Ferdinand and basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal took part in conducting the draw.
Observers commenting on the outcome said Iran’s placement in Group G sets up a challenging yet navigable route to the knock-out stage.
Iran’s match schedule confirmed
Iran’s match schedule was, meanwhile, confirmed, pitting Team Melli against New Zealand on June 15, 2026, Belgium on June 21, and Egypt on June 26 –three high-stakes matchups that could define one of the team’s most promising campaigns in recent years.
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Iran drawn against Belgium, Egypt, New Zealand in 2026 FIFA World Cup Group G
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