Iran’s Route to the 2026 World Cup Final
If Iran win Group G, their knockout route runs from a Round of 32 tie in Seattle on Wed, 1 July 2026, through the Round of 16 in Seattle (Tue, 7 July 2026), and on toward the Final at MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey on Sun, 19 July 2026.
Iran’s projected knockout route
| Round | Date | Host city | Likely opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 32 | Wed, 1 July 2026 | Seattle | a third-placed team (from Group A, Group E, Group H, Group I or Group J) |
| Round of 16 | Tue, 7 July 2026 | Seattle | the winner of Match 81 (United States vs a third-placed team (from Group B, Group E, Group F, Group I or Group J)) |
| Quarter-final | Fri, 10 July 2026 | Los Angeles | Potentially Portugal, Colombia or England |
| Semi-final | Tue, 14 July 2026 | Dallas | Potentially Germany, Ivory Coast or Mexico |
| Final | Sun, 19 July 2026 | New York / New Jersey | Potentially Brazil, Morocco or Netherlands |
Route assumes Iran win Group G. Confirmed opponents are named once their group finishes; the rest stay bracket projections until then.
Who could Iran face in the Round of 32?
In the Round of 32, Iran would meet a third-placed team (from Group A, Group E, Group H, Group I or Group J). The tie is scheduled for Wed, 1 July 2026, 4:00 PM ET at Lumen Field, Seattle (Match 82). Win it and Iran reach the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
What is Iran’s Round of 16 path?
A Round-of-16 place would pit Iran against the winner of Match 81 (United States vs a third-placed team (from Group B, Group E, Group F, Group I or Group J)), played Tue, 7 July 2026, 8:00 PM ET at Lumen Field, Seattle (Match 94). Likely contenders from that side include United States, Canada, Switzerland or Germany.
Iran’s potential quarter-final
Reaching the quarter-finals would set up Match 98 on Fri, 10 July 2026, 3:00 PM ET at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, against the winner of Round-of-16 Match 93. Heavyweights lurking in that quarter include Portugal, Colombia, England or Croatia.
Could Iran reach the semi-finals?
The semi-final (Match 101) is set for Tue, 14 July 2026, 3:00 PM ET at AT&T Stadium, Dallas. Possible opponents from the other half include Germany, Ivory Coast, Mexico, South Africa or South Korea.
Iran’s route to the World Cup 2026 Final
The 2026 World Cup Final is at MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey on Sun, 19 July 2026 (3:00 PM ET). It is the last step of Iran’s projected route. Anyone from Brazil, Morocco, Netherlands, Japan, Germany or Ivory Coast could be waiting on the other side of the draw.
What if Iran finish runner-up in Group G?
As Group G runner-up, Iran would enter the other half of the bracket, opening with a Round of 32 tie against Australia in Dallas on Fri, 3 July 2026 (Match 88). The path still converges on the same Final at MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey on Sun, 19 July 2026.
| Round | Date | Host city | Likely opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round of 32 | Fri, 3 July 2026 | Dallas |  Australia |
| Round of 16 | Tue, 7 July 2026 | Atlanta | the winner of Match 86 (the Group J winner vs Cape Verde) |
| Quarter-final | Sun, 12 July 2026 | Kansas City | Potentially Canada, Switzerland or Germany |
| Semi-final | Wed, 15 July 2026 | Atlanta | Potentially Brazil, Morocco or Netherlands |
| Final | Sun, 19 July 2026 | New York / New Jersey | Potentially Germany, Ivory Coast or Mexico |
Route assumes Iran finish second in Group G. Confirmed opponents are named once their group finishes; the rest stay bracket projections until then.
Iran’s Group G fixtures
| Date | Kick-off | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 16 June 2026 | 9:00 PM ET | Iran vs  New Zealand |
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| Sun, 21 June 2026 | 3:00 PM ET | Iran at  Belgium |
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| Sat, 27 June 2026 | 11:00 PM ET | Iran at  Egypt |
Lumen Field, Seattle |
Iran at the World Cup 2026: FAQ
When do Iran play their first 2026 World Cup match?
Iran open their Group G campaign against New Zealand on Tue, 16 June 2026 (9:00 PM ET) at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles.
Where would Iran play the Round of 16?
If Iran win Group G, their Round of 16 tie (Match 94) is at Lumen Field, Seattle on Tue, 7 July 2026.
What if Iran finish runner-up in Group G?
As Group G runner-up, Iran would drop into the other half of the bracket. Their Round of 32 tie (Match 88) is against Australia in Dallas on Fri, 3 July 2026, then the path runs through the Round of 16 in Atlanta and on toward the same Final at MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey on Sun, 19 July 2026.
Where is the 2026 World Cup Final?
The 2026 World Cup Final is at MetLife Stadium, New York / New Jersey on Sun, 19 July 2026 (3:00 PM ET).