Iran National Team Kicks Off World Cup Prep in Antalya

The Iran national football team has started its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a training camp in Antalya, Turkey. The team, which will compete in the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, conducted its first training session at Mardan Sports Complex yesterday under the watchful eye of coach Amir Ghalenoei.

The initial training session was open to the press for the first 20 minutes, during which the players performed warm-up exercises followed by a 5v2 ball possession drill. The camp, which currently includes 17 players, will welcome an additional 11 players in the coming days.

The team is scheduled to play a friendly match against Gambia on May 29 as part of their two-week training program. Mehdi Muhammed Nabi, the first vice president of the Iranian Football Federation, highlighted the team's status as one of the first three qualifiers for the World Cup and emphasized their detailed planning for the tournament.

Nabi also addressed the visa process, stating that the organizing federations are responsible for arranging visas for all participating teams. He noted that the team will travel to Ankara on Thursday for visa applications for both the United States and Canada. Additionally, some international players will join the team to assist with visa and other processes.

On the topic of security, Nabi emphasized that the team is well-informed and experienced with the security protocols, citing previous World Cup experiences in countries like France, Germany, Qatar, and Brazil. He highlighted that the team is being guided by security plans that ensure they remain in the cities for all three matches.

Nabi also expressed appreciation for the support from the Turkish people and noted that the media's attention to the camp is a sign of their interest in the team's preparations.