[74060] Final preparations for the 2026 World Cup: Argentina announces roster and warm-up matches for the Iranian national team

[74060] Final preparations for the 2026 World Cup: Argentina announces roster and warm-up matches for the Iranian national team

The football world is counting down to the opening of the 2026 World Cup, as the Argentina national team has published its official roster and the Iranian national team prepares for a warm-up match against Gambia.

2026 World Cup: The countdown has begun

With only 13 days remaining until the opening of the 2026 World Cup tournament, as reported by Esteghlal Fans Channel, Mr. Varzesh, and Football Bartar Channel, the sports world is focusing on the final preparations of the leading teams and the warm-up matches.

Argentina and Messi's Roster

The Argentina national team has released its final roster for the tournament, which includes 26 players. According to a report by "Akharin Khabar", 38-year-old Lionel Messi will make his sixth appearance in the prestigious tournament. Iran International notes that coach Lionel Scaloni chose to keep the "core of the team that won the World Cup in Qatar" with 17 players from the previous squad, with the main surprise being the exclusion of Marcos Acuña in favor of Facundo Medina according to an Iran International Telegram report.

Iranian National Team Preparations

On the Iranian side, the national team is preparing for a friendly match against Gambia. According to the "Fun Farm" Telegram channel, the match will be held on Friday at 19:00 at the Mardan Stadium in Istanbul. Concurrently, the Islamabad Khabar channel reports on a viral phenomenon surrounding New Zealand national team player Tim Payne, Iran's World Cup opponent, who went from an "unknown player" to an internet star with 1.4 million followers following a campaign by an Argentine influencer.

Basketball: NBA Drama

Beyond football, Iran International Sport reports on a dramatic victory for the San Antonio Spurs over the Oklahoma City Thunder (118-91). French star Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 28 points and 10 rebounds, thereby forcing a seventh and decisive game in the Western Conference Finals series, which will be held on Sunday, May 31st.