Story by Barney Ronay The Guardian Mr President. Fellow exco members. We’re going to need a bigger Board of Peace. How many mini‑pitches are we up to now? Gaza got 50 of them last month. What will it take to football-fix the global conflict being set in train by Fifa’s own Peace Prize Boy? A hundred mini-pitches? Four billion mini-pitches? All the mini‑pitches in the universe? In a more sane version of what we must, out of habit, call...

According to Mehr News Agency, the Iranian national football team is planning to hold a friendly match against Puerto Rico as part of their preparation program for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Mehdi Mohammadnabi, Vice President of the Football Federation and manager of the national team, stated that a low-intensity friendly has been scheduled for the period leading up to Iran's opening World Cup match against New Zealand. "This match will be held behind closed doors," Mohammadnabi...

Sardar Azmoun made a successful return to competitive action on Friday, providing an assist just two minutes after stepping onto the pitch as Shabab Al-Ahli cruised to a dominant 5-1 victory over Al-Dhafra in the ADNOC Pro League. The match, which took place in the 18th week of the UAE league season, marked the Iranian striker's first appearance in four months. Azmoun was introduced as a substitute in the 75th minute and immediately made his presence...

After Omid Ravankhah was dismissed as head coach of Iran’s U-23 national team, veteran coach Majid Jalali offered a sharp critique of the short-term decision-making that continues to hinder Iranian football. Jalali stressed that the root issue with the Omid team is not who serves as head coach, but rather the lack of long-term planning and managerial stability—problems he believes have persisted for nearly half a century and now extend to the senior national team. Majid...

Amir Mehdi Alavi, spokesman for the Football Federation of Iran, has announced that Team Melli will play a friendly match against Nigeria on March 27th in Amman, Jordan. This will be Iran's first friendly following the 2026 World Cup draw. Although Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, they remain one of African football's traditional powerhouses. The match represents a serious test for Amir Ghalenoei's squad and fulfills the head coach's wish for meaningful...