Iran national football team

Iran
Nicknames
AssociationFootball Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationCAFA (Central Asia)
Head coachAmir Ghalenoei
CaptainAlireza Jahanbakhsh
Most capsJavad Nekounam (149)
Top scorerAli Daei (108)
Home stadiumAzadi Stadium
FIFA codeIRN
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 20 (19 January 2026)
Highest15 (August 2005)
Lowest122 (May 1996)
First international
 Afghanistan 0–0 Iran 
(Kabul, Afghanistan; 25 August 1941)
Biggest win
 Iran 19–0 Guam 
(Tabriz, Iran; 24 November 2000)
Biggest defeat
 Turkey 6–1 Iran 
(Istanbul, Turkey; 28 May 1950)
 South Korea 5–0 Iran 
(Tokyo, Japan; 28 May 1958)
World Cup
Appearances7 (first in 1978)
Best resultGroup stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022)
Asian Cup
Appearances16 (first in 1968)
Best resultChampions (1968, 1972, 1976)
Olympic Games
Appearances4 (first in 1964)
Best resultQuarter-finals (1976)
Afro-Asian Cup of Nations
Appearances2 (first in 1978)
Best resultRunners-up (1991)
AFC–OFC Challenge Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2003)
Best resultChampions (2003)

The Iran national football team (Persian: تیم ملی فوتبال مردان ایران, romanizedTeam-e Mellī-e Futbāl-e Mardān-e Īrān), recognised as IR Iran by FIFA since 2018, represents Iran in men's international senior football and is governed by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).

At the continental level, Iran has won three AFC Asian Cup championships in 1968, 1972, and 1976. They have also won three Asian Games in 1974, 1990, and 1998. The nation's best performance at the world level was reaching the quarter-finals at the 1976 Summer Olympics. At the FIFA World Cup, Iran have qualified seven times (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026) but have never progressed beyond the group stages; they have however, won three matches: against the United States in 1998, Morocco in 2018, and Wales in 2022. At the regional level, Iran has won four WAFF Championships and one CAFA Nations Cup. The team also won intercontinental AFC–OFC Challenge Cup in 2003.