Final Iran U-23 Squad for 2026 Asian Games

Final Selection

The Iran U-23 football team announced its final 23-man squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya. Coach Hossein Abdi, after reviewing the preliminary list and intensive training in the months of Khordad and Tir 1405, made this selection. The final roster includes Mohammad Khalifeh, Adib Zarei, Armin Abbasi, Amin Hazbavi, Masoud Mohabi, Daniel Irie, Yasin Gerjani, Farzin Moamele Gari, Seyhiel Sahraei, Abolfazl Kohi, Amir Mohammad Rezakiniya, Ghasem Latifi, Poriya Latifi Far, Mobeen Dehghan, Yusef Mazra, Abbas Kahrizi, Esmaeil Gholizadeh, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Mehdi Jafari, Saeid Saharkhiz, Reza Ghandi, Kasri Taheri, and Poriya Shahrabadi.

Club Representation

This list features 21 players from the Persian Gulf Pro League and 2 legionnaires. Persepolis (Poriya Latifi Far, Poriya Shahrabadi, and Daniel Irie), Sepahan (Kasri Taheri, Yasin Gerjani, and Amin Hazbavi), and Esteghlal (Saeid Saharkhiz, Amir Mohammad Rezakiniya) each have 3 players, the highest representation. Following them, Aluminium (Mohammad Khalifeh and Abbas Kahrizi), Foolad (Yusef Mazra and Ghasem Latifi), and Malavan (Farzin Moamele Gari and Mehdi Jafari) each have 2 players. No players from clubs such as Mes Shahrbabak, Fajr Sepasi, Zob Ahan, Sanat Naft, Chahardom, or Esteghlal Khuzestan are included. Additionally, Mobeen Dehghan and Reza Ghandi, both from Al Wahda United Arab Emirates, are part of the squad.

Match Schedule

In the group stage of the 2026 Asian Games, the Iran U-23 team will compete in Group B against China, North Korea, and the UAE. The full group schedule is as follows: - Iran – UAE, 16 September 2026 (25 Shahrivar 1405), 14:00 local time, WAVE KARIYA Stadium - Iran – China, 20 September 2026 (29 Shahrivar 1405), 14:00 local time, WAVE KARIYA Stadium - Iran – North Korea, 23 September 2026 (1 Mehr 1405), 14:30 local time, WAVE KARIYA Stadium

Key Points

Among the selected players, Seyhiel Sahraei from Gol Gohar and Farzin Moamele Gari from Malavan previously played for Persepolis in the last season. Amirhossein Mahmoudi, a former World Cup star of Iranian football, is not included in the final squad; reports indicate that his exclusion was due to his absence from the U-23 camp in Turkey and his subsequent placement in the federation's disciplinary committee.

The first match for the U-23 team will be against the UAE on 16 September 2026 at the WAVE KARIYA Stadium.