IR IRAN UZBEKISTAN ROAD TO FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 AFC CONTENDERS

26 nations set off on the road to 26. AFC Asian Qualifiers. A two-year odyssey. Spanning the largest, most diverse continent on the planet. With eight places up for grabs. At the biggest event in the history of sport. This is the AFC Contenders. The utmost of Asian football. Being a consistent force. Producing players of the highest quality. And ranked among the leading nations in the game by FIFA. But they have not won an AFC Asian Cup since 1976. And in six attempts, they have never progressed beyond the group stage at a World Cup. Four years ago in Qatar, they required only a draw in their final group match to end the hoodoo. But suffered defeat to the USA. That was the third World Cup campaign in a row overseen by Carlos Quiroz. The longest-serving manager in Team Melly's history. Afterwards, he was replaced by former international midfielder Amir Ghalanoi. A five-time Iranian Manager of the Year. Ghalanoi made a bright start, defeating Japan en route to the 2023 Asian Cup semi-finals. Then cruising through the second stage of World Cup qualification. Pivotal to this good form was Mehdi Tehrani. One of the few Iranians to ply his trade in Europe. Tehrani has won trophies in Portugal and Greece. As well as reaching the 2025 UEFA Champions League final with Inter Milan. His strength and physical presence make him a fan favourite. While his instinctive finishing has made him one of the few footballers in history to earn over 100 caps and score more than 50 international goals. It was Tehrani's poacher's instincts that set IR Iran on the road to 26 with a 1-0 win over Kyrgyz Republic. Down at the other end, the shot comes in and it's spilled and this will be the opener. Mehdi Tehrani banks his 50th goal for Iran. One goal was also enough for three more points against UAE. And he scores as well, making it 1-0 in stoppage time in the first half. A third clean sheet in a row was something to be proud of on matchday three. But an inability to convert at the other end meant Galanoi's side had to settle for a point from their toughest assignment of the campaign. Away to Uzbekistan. Full-time, a hard-fought goalless draw as the ten men of IR Iran claim a point in Uzbekistan. An awkward early run of fixtures safely navigated, IR Iran were now in a position to kick on for the rest of AFC Asian qualifiers. Which spelt danger for their rivals in Group A. When IR Iran fell behind early to Qatar on matchday four, it marked an inflection point in AFC Asian qualifiers. Coming off a 0-0 draw and scoring just two goals in their previous three matches, Team Melli needed a response. Sadar Azmoun provided. The left-footed delivery, Azmoun picks out the top corner. He just buried the header but he was given space to pick his spot. Down the left, going on once more. Chipped in towards the middle, headed up but not away. Oh, the keeper's missed it, Azmoun. He couldn't miss from there. The goalkeeper tripped over his own defender, I think. That's a good through ball for Sadar Azmoun. He's on a hat-trick here, Azmoun goes for the pass instead. This will be 3-1. He had the support and he used it. Mohamed Mohebi was the man to slot it into the empty nets. The final scoreline was 4-1 and Group A was suddenly in Iran's control. Azmoun was the architect, Nur Afghan notched two assists on the day. Mohebi more than helped out with his brace. Iran go top of the table after Matchday 4. Iran 4, Qatar 1, the final score from Dubai. Iran took their newfound shooting boots to Laos, where they raced into a 3-0 lead against DPR Korea. Lovely link-up play here, Terame involved as well. Mohebi makes it 2-0. It's the old give-and-go, cuts out the defence and finds the corner with aplomb. DPR Korea stretched here, Gayedi collects the ball. Terame makes the overlapping run. Gayedi makes the run into the box and this comes to Mohebi. Mohebi finds the bottom left-hand corner and it's a brace. Just four minutes after making it 2-0. Five days later, they were at it again, this time in Bishkek. Smashing three more past Kyrgyz Republic. Potential counter-attack here for Ayar Iran and it's been finished off there. 76th minute as Ayar Iran come again with great quality here into the box and what a header from Azmoun. Mohamedi with the assist and that's 3-2. Ayar Iran leading again in a five-goal thriller. That result put Iran three points clear on top of the group and within touching distance of North America. So when Azmoun nodded home his sixth goal in seven matches, the Azadi Stadium in Tehran bounced with delight. Mohamed Mohebi sealed the deal, making it a question of when, not if, his side would be added to the World Cup draw. And that question was answered just five days later, when Iran drew with Uzbekistan for the fourth time in four matches on the road to 26. Ahmedi Touremi's brace proved decisive, twice bringing his side level. First with a blistering strike. And he just puts his foot through it. Then with a poacher's instinct. As it's touched home this time by Touremi, he gets his second. It might be the goal that sends them to the World Cup. Indeed it is the 2-2 draw enough for them for their fourth consecutive qualification. 15 months before the start of the 2026 World Cup, Iran could celebrate becoming just the third nation to qualify. A fourth successive appearance on football's greatest stage was built on five clean sheets and turbocharged by four outings where they scored three or more goals. It reflected Amir Ghalanoi's commitment to adding a greater goal threat to what has long been a formidable defence. But at his core, Ghalanoi is a conservative coach, backing a loyal group of experienced players. It is likely the bulk of Iran's World Cup squad will be in their 30s. Not that age mattered during AFC Asian qualifiers when Mehdi Touremi led from the front. And Ali Reza Beranband excelled in goal. But it was a third 30-something who stole the show, Sardar Azmouk. The 31-year-old made his international debut aged just 19 when he was starring in the Russian Premier League. Stints at Bayer Leverkusen and Roma followed, before dominating the UAE Pro League. Azmouk has the priceless ability of drifting between the lines and finding space in the final third. He is one of those footballers that makes it appear as though the game has slowed down when he is in possession, enabling him to execute through balls or fashion shooting opportunities. His big game experience will be vital if Iran are to finally exit the group stage at a World Cup. Team Melly will be more confident than ever of ending their knockout stage hoodoo after they were drawn into Group G. Belgium remain formidable, but their golden generation has lost its luster. Egypt possess the mighty Mohamed Salah, but the pharaohs have never won a match at the finals, and they underwhelmed at recent AFCONs. New Zealand were the lowest-ranked direct qualifier, and like Egypt, are winless at the World Cup. Iran's first two fixtures are at the state-of-the-art Los Angeles Stadium, a revolutionary indoor-outdoor venue embedded in the Californian landscape. LA is also home to a large expat community, ensuring Iran will have plenty of support. And that support will have never had a better opportunity to watch their heroes excel at a World Cup. There is stability of selection, consistency in results, and a favourable draw on their side. At the seventh time of asking, surely 2026 is the year Iran assert themselves on football's greatest stage. AFC Asian qualifiers comprised 225 matches and featured 630 goals. And all that drama was witnessed by more than 5 million spectators. Here are the countries with the top five average attendances on the road to 26. Despite cruising through Group B, Korea Republic drew three of their five matches in front of their own fans. China PR played in five different cities during AFC Asian qualifiers. Japan played their first four home matches at the country's largest football-specific ground. Saitama Stadium, 2002. Iraq went 309 minutes before conceding a goal at their fortress in Basra. But no country hosted more fans than Indonesia, helping them earn 10 of their 12 points in Group C. Uzbekistan is a landlocked nation in Central Asia. During the Middle Ages, it was at the heart of the Islamic Golden Age and became a commercial and cultural highway as part of the Silk Road. For most of the 20th century, Uzbekistan was part of the Soviet Union. So the country's football system as we recognize it today has only existed since the 1990s. Since then, the White Wolves have been a formidable second-tier nation in the AFC. Consistently reaching the knockout stages of the Asian Cup and pushing for World Cup qualification without ever reaching the promised land. But with the AFC now receiving eight direct places in the expanded 48-team tournament, Uzbekistan were confident this was their opportunity to become the 81st country to qualify for the World Cup finals. They set off on the road to 26th in reasonable shape. Their 2023 AFC Asian Cup ended with a penalty shootout defeat in the quarterfinals at the hands of eventual champions, Qatar. Then they cruised through the second stage of World Cup qualifying. Under Slovenian head coach Srećko Patanić, Uzbekistan became very difficult to break down. In 2022, they lost only once. In 2023, they lost twice. In 2024, not only did they only lose once, they kept ten clean sheets in 16 matches. And it was this defensive solidity that saw them race off to a great start on the road to 26th. Utkir Yusupov's penalty save helped ensure Uzbekistan would begin Group A with three clean sheets in four matches. But on matchday two, it was all about firepower at the other end of the pitch, as the White Wolves twice came from behind to overrun Kyrgyz Republic. Oh, with a clever backheel to open up space for Uronov. Into the box goes Uronov, dances one way then the other, and fires in for Uzbekistan to take the lead. What a goal from Uronov, and Uzbekistan have come from behind. Stalemated home to IR Iran, the highest ranked side in Group A was a point well earned. And it was backed up five days later with three more, following a trademark 1-0 triumph over the UAE. Uzbekistan could hardly have dreamed of a better start to AFC Asian qualifiers, streaking to the top of Group A alongside IR Iran. Qatar served notice that complacency needed guarding against when they struck a winning goal in the 12th minute of injury time on matchday five. But normal service was swiftly resumed with a 1-0 victory over DPR Korea. The hero of the night was Abushbek Fazuleev, the bright young hope of Uzbek football. Standing just five feet six inches, the 22-year-old has made a big impression on football in his country in a short space of time. He was named MVP as Uzbekistan won their first ever AFC Under-20 Asian Cup in 2023. He won a hat-trick of domestic Super League titles before winning the Russian Cup with Cheska Moscow and being named Russian Premier League Discovery of the Season. He now plies his trade with Istanbul Basakşehir alongside national team captain Eldor Şomuradov. Fazuleev was brought into the national set-up by Srećko Katanić, but in early 2025 the Slovenian stunned his squad by retiring from football for health reasons. National icon Timur Kupadzin took the reins. But no momentum was lost on the road to 26 with another precious 1-0 victory, despite Şomuradov failing to convert a first-half penalty. That set up a top-of-the-table clash against IR Iran on matchday 8, with passage to North America now within touching distance. Fazuleev was again instrumental, but his side could not hold on to leads at 1-0 and 2-1, having to settle for a draw. Which meant they would have to wait to finally become the 81st country to qualify for the World Cup finals. An accomplishment that arrived fittingly with a clean sheet at the end of a goalless draw away to the UAE. Uzbekistan will get the chance to prove themselves with a first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance next summer. Celebrations proper were reserved for the final matchday of AFC Asian qualifiers at a packed Bunyodkur Stadium in Tashkent. Uzbekistan signed off in style, recording their first victory by more than a single goal during the group stage. History made. Uzbekistan were about to embark on the biggest adventure in the country's sporting history. But there were more surprises to come on the road to 26. Uzbekistan's qualification for the 2026 World Cup was the undisputed high point in the country's sporting history. The road to 26 was mapped by Sreshko Katalic. And the final steps were navigated by Timur Kopadze. Following qualification, Kopadze led the White Wolves to victory in the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup, defeating IR Iran 1-0 in the final. But his unbeaten eight-match reign was cut short in spectacular fashion when the Uzbekistan Football Association parachuted in Fabio Cannavaro. Cannavaro is one of the greatest defenders of all time and lifted the World Cup trophy in 2006 as captain of Italy. His managerial career has been far less noteworthy. The highlight to date was the 2019 Chinese Super League title with Guangzhou Evergrande. But since leaving Guangzhou in 2021, Cannavaro has held only three short-term roles totalling 37 matches. Kopadze was initially appointed one of the Italian's assistants, but the two-time Uzbekistan Coach of the Year left a month later to continue his head coaching career. It all means that 20 years after he took centre stage at a World Cup finals as a player, Cannavaro will be one of the most watched managers on display in North America. Should he fail, it will be seen as a massive, unnecessary gamble. Should he succeed, it will be seen as a masterstroke and showcase the managerial acumen of one of the World Cup's most enduring figures. The Italian will have his work cut out at the finals, with Uzbekistan drawn in a treacherous Group K alongside title contenders Portugal and in-form South Americans Colombia. Wow, a really tough group because we face against Portugal, we face against Colombia. Top teams, top players, it will be really tough for us. But what I say to my players, to be in the World Cup is a privilege and to be here for us is something that we are here for. So enjoy the World Cup, enjoy the games and we will see what happens. Portugal's attacking qualities are well known. Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva are deft playmakers. João Felix and João Neves are explosive runners. And Cristiano Ronaldo is a finisher without peer and with a point to prove at his final World Cup. Responsibility for keeping these superstars in check falls to defender Abdulkadir Kushinov, the most high-profile Uzbek footballer. Kushinov is the youngest member of Cannavaro's starting XI and the only international plying his trade in one of Europe's top leagues after joining Manchester City in January 2025. Uzbekistan's first match is against Colombia, but it is the very last fixture in the opening round of group matches on June 17. That clash is at Mexico City's historic Estadio Azteca, home of some of the most memorable moments in football history. From Pelé's swan song in 1917 to Diego Maradona's tour de force in 1986. After that, it's Portugal in Houston before a decisive third and final encounter in Atlanta. Only one team debuted at the 2022 World Cup and that was host Qatar, who lost all three matches. In 2018, Panama went 0-3, while Iceland salvaged a draw to accompany two defeats. So, little will be expected of Uzbekistan when they line up in North America, but for them, simply reaching the game's greatest stage is an accomplishment.