Iran Sets World Cup Age Record in Draw With Belgium

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The national teams of Belgium and Iran played to a goalless draw in their second-round match of the 2026 World Cup group stage. The match, held in the American city of Inglewood, California, ended 0-0. The game was remembered not only for a stubborn struggle but also for a unique historical achievement by the Asian team.

Iranian footballers were close to success in the 25th minute of the match when forward Mehdi Taremi sent the ball into the opponent's net. However, after the intervention of the video assistant referee (VAR) system, the goal was disallowed due to a recorded offside position. In the second half, the Belgian team found themselves in a difficult position: in the 66th minute, defender Nathan Ngoy was sent off the field for a rough foul, but Iran failed to take advantage of the numerical superiority before the final whistle.

This match entered world football history thanks to Iran's starting lineup. The average age of the eleven players who took the field for the team was 32 years and 181 days, which became an absolute record for the World Cup. In the Iranian lineup, only three players had not crossed the 30-year mark: defender Saleh Hardani, forward Mohammad Mohebi, and midfield player Saeid Ezatolahi. The previous record for this indicator was held by the German national team, which fielded a lineup with an average age of 31 years and 334 days for a match against the same Iran at the 1998 tournament.

Following the two completed rounds, a high density has formed in Group G. Belgium and Iran have earned 2 points each, as in their opening matches the Belgians drew 1-1 with Egypt, and the Iranians shared points in a 2-2 draw with New Zealand.

The second pair of the quartet will hold their head-to-head match on 22 June 2026. The decisive matches to advance to the play-offs will take place on the night of 27 June 2026, when Belgium will meet New Zealand and Iran will compete against Egypt.

As a reminder, 48 national teams are participating in the current expanded World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and Argentina retains the title of reigning World Cup holders.