Team Melli will meet Nicaragua in Azadi this evening at 19:30 behind closed doors in the first of the last two matches before the FIFA World Cup.

Under Queiroz, Team Melli has been training full-time in an effort to maximize the utilization of the time before the start of the FIFA World Cup. The camp’s objective was to allow the coaching team to recognize the players’ shortcomings and readiness. The training camp was restricted to the domestic league players, except for the periodic appearance of Khalizadeh, Kananizadeghan, and Ebrahimi from Qatar Star League which has taken an early break until after the World Cup. The rest of the Team Melli players who are in Europe were absent.

The whole training camp has been under the shadow of the recent widespread protests across the country following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the moral police. Since a few Iranian players have dared to speak up against the regime recently and the silent protests of many players in all forms and shapes, including not celebrating goals in matches, the FFIRI, AKA the regime, has put a strict virtual barrier around the camp. Players and officials are not allowed to speak to the press unless prior permission is obtained from the security or Herasat. Queiroz is an exception, however, he has been fully briefed on what he is allowed to utter and must follow the party guidelines.

 It is not known how much this Political turmoil had an effect on the players’ morale.  In any case, Team Melli should not have much of a problem facing Nicaragua even with the second-string lineup.

The opponent for the day, Nicaragua is one of the weaker teams in CONCACAF. Coached by  Marco Antonio Figueroa the central American team is playing the match against Iran after 3 consecutive defeats against Surinam, Ghana, and Qatar. The Nicaraguan national team is ranked 142 in the FIFA ranking and currently has no member of the team playing in Europe., A few of them play in neighboring countries’ leagues.

Nicaragua achieved its first qualification to a major international competition in 2009, as they qualified for the 2009 Gold Cup as the last entrant from Central America, after a 2–0 win over Guatemala in the fifth-place match in the 2009 Nations Cup.^[However, the team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

Due to American influence throughout the country’s history, baseball has more of a following as both a pursuit and spectator event in Nicaragua than football.

Iran’s last friendly match will be against Tunisia in Doha.