Iran confirms squad heading to Turkiye for World Cup preparation

TEHRAN: Iran’s World Cup squad will travel to Turkiye on Monday for a training camp, friendlies and to complete visa applications before heading to the United States, head coach Amir Ghalenoei said on Saturday.
Team Melli will be returning to Antalya where they trained and played friendlies in March.
They are taking a squad of 30 players, which will have to be trimmed to the World Cup maximum of 26. Perhaps the best known is 33-year-old former Porto striker Mehdi Taremi, now with Olympiacos.
“Selecting 30 players for this final training camp ahead of the World Cup was the most difficult technical decision of my coaching career,” Ghalenoei told the Iranian football federation website, adding that he had selected players solely on “technical criteria.”
Iran hope to play two friendlies in Antalya.