# Iran at the FIFA World Cup

Iran have appeared in the FIFA World Cup on six occasions: in 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022. They are yet to have progressed from the group stages.

## Record at the FIFA World Cup qualification

    As of 1 April 2024
| Rank | Team | Part | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
| 1 | Mexico | 17 | 189 | 121 | 41 | 27 | 453 | 134 | +319 | 404 |
| 2 | Australia | 16 | 165 | 99 | 40 | 26 | 422 | 125 | +297 | 337 |
| 3 | South Korea | 16 | 155 | 97 | 40 | 18 | 311 | 91 | +220 | 331 |
| 4 | Costa Rica | 17 | 187 | 93 | 47 | 47 | 309 | 184 | +125 | 326 |
| 5 | Iran | 12 | 150 | 95 | 36 | 19 | 328 | 91 | +237 | 321 |
| 6 | Argentina | 15 | 159 | 91 | 42 | 26 | 270 | 137 | +133 | 315 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 19 | 135 | 89 | 26 | 20 | 329 | 101 | +228 | 293 |
| 8 | United States | 19 | 168 | 84 | 40 | 44 | 287 | 191 | +96 | 292 |
| 9 | Uruguay | 18 | 178 | 81 | 47 | 50 | 253 | 191 | +62 | 290 |
| 10 | Spain | 19 | 125 | 87 | 26 | 12 | 291 | 81 | +210 | 287 |

## Record at the FIFA World Cup

| FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup finals record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | FIFA World Cup qualification record |
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1930 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | No qualification | No qualification | No qualification | No qualification | No qualification | No qualification |
| 1934 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member |
| 1938 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member |
| 1950 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1954 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1958 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1962 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1966 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1970 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 1974 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 |
| 1978 | First round | 14th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | Squad | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 3 |
| 1982 | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew |
| 1986 | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified | Disqualified |
| 1990 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 |
| 1994 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 13 |
| 1998 | Group stage | 20th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Squad | 17 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 57 | 17 |
| 2002 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 9 |
| 2006 | Group stage | 25th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | Squad | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 7 |
| 2010 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 9 |
| 2014 | Group stage | 28th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | Squad | 16 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 30 | 7 |
| 2018 | Group stage | 18th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Squad | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 36 | 5 |
| 2022 | Group stage | 26th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | Squad | 18 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 49 | 8 |
| 2026 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| 2030 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| 2034 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| 2038 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | First round | 6/26 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 31 | — | 146 | 92 | 35 | 19 | 316 | 89 |

## Argentina 1978
### Group 4

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Peru | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 5 | Advance to second round |
| 2 | Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 3 | Advance to second round |
| 3 | Scotland | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Iran | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 1 | |

## France 1998
### Group F

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Germany | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | FR Yugoslavia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Iran | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 3 | |
| 4 | United States | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 | |

## Germany 2006
### Group D

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Portugal | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Mexico | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Angola | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 2 | |
| 4 | Iran | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 1 | |

## Brazil 2014
### Group F

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Argentina | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Nigeria | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | Iran | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 | |

## Russia 2018
### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Spain | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 5 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Portugal | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 5 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Iran | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | Morocco | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 | |

## Qatar 2022

Simultaneous to the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran, the team declined to sing the national anthem prior to their match with England. Prior to the match, captain Ehsan Hajsafi, said that the team support protestors.

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | England | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 | 7 | Advanced to knockout stage |
| 2 | United States | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 5 | Advanced to knockout stage |
| 3 | Iran | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 | 3 | |
| 4 | Wales | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 | 1 | |

## By match

| World Cup | Round | Opponent | Score | Result | Iran scorer(s) |
| 1978 | Group 4 | Netherlands | 0–3 | L | |
| 1978 | Group 4 | Scotland | 1–1 | D | Danaeifard 60' |
| 1978 | Group 4 | Peru | 1–4 | L | Rowshan 41' |
| 1998 | Group F | FR Yugoslavia | 0–1 | L | |
| 1998 | Group F | United States | 2–1 | W | Estili 40', Mahdavikia 84' |
| 1998 | Group F | Germany | 0–2 | L | |
| 2006 | Group D | Mexico | 1–3 | L | Golmohammadi 36' |
| 2006 | Group D | Portugal | 0–2 | L | |
| 2006 | Group D | Angola | 1–1 | D | Bakhtiarizadeh 75' |
| 2014 | Group F | Nigeria | 0–0 | D | |
| 2014 | Group F | Argentina | 0–1 | L | |
| 2014 | Group F | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1–3 | L | Ghoochannejhad 82' |
| 2018 | Group B | Morocco | 1–0 | W | Bouhaddouz 90+5' (o.g.) |
| 2018 | Group B | Spain | 0–1 | L | |
| 2018 | Group B | Portugal | 1–1 | D | Ansarifard 90+3' (pen.) |
| 2022 | Group B | England | 2–6 | L | Taremi 65', 90+13' (pen.) |
| 2022 | Group B | Wales | 2–0 | W | Cheshmi 90+8', Rezaeian 90+11' |
| 2022 | Group B | United States | 0–1 | L | |

## Records
### Most appearances

| Rank | Player | Matches | World Cups |
| 1 | Ehsan Hajsafi | 9 | 2014 and 2018 and 2022 |
| 2 | Alireza Jahanbakhsh | 8 | 2014 and 2018 and 2022 |
| 3 | Karim Ansarifard | 6 | 2014 and 2018 and 2022 |
| 3 | Mehdi Taremi | 6 | 2018 and 2022 |
| 3 | Sardar Azmoun | 6 | 2018 and 2022 |
| 3 | Morteza Pouraliganji | 6 | 2018 and 2022 |
| 3 | Majid Hosseini | 6 | 2018 and 2022 |
| 3 | Mehdi Mahdavikia | 6 | 1998 and 2006 |
| 3 | Andranik Teymourian | 6 | 2006 and 2014 |
| 10 | Ali Daei | 5 | 1998 and 2006 |
| 10 | Javad Nekounam | 5 | 2006 and 2014 |
| 10 | Masoud Shojaei | 5 | 2006 and 2014 and 2018 |

### Most goals

| Rank | Player | Goals | World Cups |
| 1 | Mehdi Taremi | 2 | 2022 |
| 2 | Iraj Danaeifard | 1 | 1978 |
| 2 | Hassan Rowshan | 1 | 1978 |
| 2 | Hamid Estili | 1 | 1998 |
| 2 | Mehdi Mahdavikia | 1 | 1998 |
| 2 | Yahya Golmohammadi | 1 | 2006 |
| 2 | Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh | 1 | 2006 |
| 2 | Reza Ghoochannejhad | 1 | 2014 |
| 2 | Karim Ansarifard | 1 | 2018 |
| 2 | Rouzbeh Cheshmi | 1 | 2022 |
| 2 | Ramin Rezaeian | 1 | 2022 |