Pre-World Cup 2026 friendlies: Iran-Mali, likely lineups
Thursday afternoon at 6:30 p.m. on the turf of the Mardan Stadyumu in Antalya, Turkey, Iran and Mali will cross paths in a friendly test that promises to be of extreme tactical importance. In fact, the Iranian Federation (FFIRI) has announced that the match will be played strictly behind closed doors, with no fans and no media access. A decision advocated by CT Amir Ghalenoei to armor the last schemes and protect the team before the departure to Mexico, the headquarters chosen for the rainbow expedition due to a series of bureaucratic hiccups related to entry visas to the United States.
For ‘Team Melli’, included in Group G of the rainbow review along with Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand, it is the final act of the European retreat. On the opposite front, the Mali Eagles face the engagement under the leadership of Tom Saintfiet’s new course, seeking to take advantage of the international showcase to forget past disappointments and turn the page for good.
The Asian selection arrives at this final appointment on the strength of an encouraging preparation on Turkish soil, where it collected good tactical indications in the victory against Gambia (beaten 3-1). The ticket to the 2026 World Cup was snatched with full merit and well in advance, dominating its grouping in the third phase of the Asian Confederation Qualification (AFC).
The exclamation mark on the qualification path was officially put on March 24, 2025, thanks to a valuable 2-2 draw snatched on the difficult field of Uzbekistan, which gave the mathematical certainty of the direct pass. Ghalenoei can count on an experienced frame led forward by the attacking tandem consisting of bomber Mehdi Taremi and experienced Karim Ansarifard, supported by the inventiveness of Alireza Jahanbakhsh. Iran has so far put up an excellent overall record (9 goals scored and only 3 conceded in the last partial), confirming a great football maturity.
If Iran is ready to embark for North America, Mali will experience the World Cup as a spectator due to a troubled African (CAF) qualifying path and studded with huge regrets. Placed in the tight Group I, the Malian team saw its rainbow pass slip away not because of a clear technical inferiority, but because of a chronic lack of cynicism in the crucial moments of the qualifiers.
The real Achilles’ heel of the African team has been its inability to unlock and win the matches that were on paper more affordable. The too many draws accumulated along the way, stand out above all the dull 0-0 and the heavy 1-1 cashed in the double confrontations with the Central African Republic, nipped in the bud hopes of grabbing the first place, the only one that guaranteed direct access to the review. Despite an absolute top-level squad embellished by European individualities of the caliber of Lassana Coulibaly from Lecce or Yves Bissouma, Mali has paid a very high price for its offensive deficit (also witnessed by the recent 0-0 in the friendly against Russia). Today’s challenge therefore represents the first, real brick for rebuilding.
Probable lineups
Iran (4-4-2): Beiranvand; Yousefi, Kanaani, Nemati, Mohammadi; Ghorbani, Ezatolahi, Ghoddos, Mohebi, Jahanbakhsh; Taremi. CT: Ghalenoei
Mali (5-3-2): Diarra; Dante, Gassama, Sidibe, Camara, Doucoure; Diakite, Dieng, Diabate; Doumbia, Sinayoko. C.T: Saintfiet.
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