[84279] The Iranian national team prepares for the 2026 World Cup opening match

2026 World Cup: Iran ahead of New Zealand and the cinema broadcasting controversy

Ahead of the Iranian national team's 2026 World Cup opening match against New Zealand, which will take place tomorrow at 04:30 AM, there is uncertainty in Iran regarding the broadcasting of matches in movie theaters. According to a report by Iran International Sport, which is affiliated with the opposition outside Iran, despite the Cinema Council's agreement to screen the games, the Police of Places has yet to grant final approval for it.

At the same time, Varzesh3, a major Iranian sports website, notes that the team is preparing for the game with the hope of replicating its success from the 2018 World Cup. The team's striker, Mehdi Taremi, stated in a press conference reported by Akharin Khabar that the players are "playing for all the Iranian people, those inside and those outside," with the goal of uniting the nation through sports.

From the other match sectors, drama was reported in the game between Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Varzesh3 and Akharin Khabar confirmed that Ivory Coast won 1-0 with a 90th-minute goal by Amad Diallo, following a match characterized by a "festival of goalposts" by both teams. Additionally, the Football Bartar channel reported on Sweden's 2-1 victory over Tunisia.

On the political front, Akharin Khabar (an internal Iranian news agency) noted that the New Zealand government welcomed the agreement between Iran and the US aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East, a step perceived as positive ahead of the sporting encounter between the countries.