“In Iran, no one truly cares about football now, just as no one seems to care about the hardship and difficult living conditions of the Iranian people,” says citizen in Tehran.

Iran national players Saeid Ezatolahi and Mohammad Ghorbani talk about how war is overshadowing a World Cup dream.

Mohammad Dadkan, the former president of the Football Federation of Iran, said something in an interview with the Rouydad24 website that ...

A growing divide between fans and team, coupled with economic hardship and war, has dampened the mood

In a Tehran neighbourhood dotted with shops selling football jerseys and sporting goods, 10-year-old Helma was already feeling World Cup fever.

Team Melli's aspirations on the field have been overshadowed by what has been an especially trying year for Iranians.

“In Iran, no one truly cares about football now, just as no one seems to care about the hardship and difficult living conditions of the Iranian people,” says citizen in Tehran.

When a state actively wages war against the core pillars of a country’s heritage, any institution operating under its direct banner loses its national legitimacy.

En Irán, la histórica fiebre futbolera se enfrenta a la cruda realidad de los bombardeos y la crisis económica. Así viven el Mundial 2026.