[82933] Iran national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup: Amir Ghalenoei warns of the opening match

2026 World Cup: Iran prepares for the opening match

Ahead of the opening of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the coach of the Iranian national team, Amir Ghalenoei, referred cautiously to the challenges facing his team. According to a report by the channel آخرین خبر, which is identified with the positions of the Iranian establishment, Ghalenoei emphasized that "the first match is always difficult" and noted that the path to qualifying for the global tournament has never been simple for any national team.

As part of the professional preparations, the coach also referred to the upcoming opponent, the New Zealand national team. According to Ghalenoei's words published in آخرین خبر, it is a "very respectable team" that includes a wide squad of players who play in foreign leagues (legionnaires), which testifies to the high level of the opponent.

The matters were also brought in the coverage of آخرین خبر ورزشی, a dedicated sports channel from the same media network, which centralizes updates regarding the tournament for the Iranian audience. The reports arrive at the peak of the excitement surrounding the 2026 World Cup, as the Iranian team tries to prepare the public for challenging matches against national teams from around the world.