VAR disallows Iran’s stoppage-time winner as Egypt qualify, leaving Iran to await third-place fate

Iran leaves World Cup with dignity despite unprecedented political pressure and logistical hurdles Iran’s World Cup 2026 campaign is over, but the team’s farewell has sparked an outpouring of support that stretches far beyond the results on the pitch. Team Melli exited the tournament unbeaten after three draws, including a 1-1 result against Egypt in Seattle. But Iran’s goodbye came with a final moment of heartbreak: defender Shoja Khalilzadeh appeared to have scored a stoppage-time winner that could have transformed their qualification hopes, only for VAR to rule it out for offside. The decision sparked a fierce debate among fans online, many of whom argued that the call was so marginal as to be out of the spirit of the game. Iran finished with three points and had to wait for results elsewhere. When Austria struck a last-gasp equaliser against Algeria the following day, both teams went through, and Iran was eliminated. Read more: Iran leaves World Cup with dignity despite unprecedented political pressure and logistical hurdle Footballer Mehdi Taremi applauds after the 1-1 draw during the Fifa World Cup 2026 Group G match between Egypt and IR Iran at Seattle Stadium on 26 June 2026, in Seattle, Washington (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images/AFP)

June 29 – Iran’s captain Mehdi Taremi labelled the World Cup “a disaster”, criticising FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino before his team’s exit from the tournament. The Iranians came within a whisker of progressing to the knockout stages: they smashed the woodwork and had a goal ruled out in injury time in their final group game against Egypt which if they had gone in would have qualified them in second place. They then held a spot as one of the best third placed group finishers with Algeria’s 3-2 lead against Austria but lost their spot when the Alpine nation dramatically drew level with Algeria through a 96th-minute header by Sasa Kalajdzic. Read more … The post Iran exit 2026 without losing a game but claiming FIFA wanted them gone appeared first on Inside World Football.

Iranians woke early on Saturday to watch the men’s national football team face Egypt, riding an emotional rollercoaster as Iran fought back to draw but missed the chance to directly qualify for the World Cup’s last 32. But all is not lost for Team Melli after the 1-1 draw. Depending on the results in other groups, the Iranians could still reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history. Iran had a troubled buildup to the World Cup due to the war in the Middle East, which broke out in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran. The team has also faced the strain of considerable visa and travel restrictions in the United States, which is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with Mexico and Canada. “It was a good game, even though they were unable to prepare properly,” said Iranian football fan Amin. “I wish they’d played the whole game like the last five minutes,” when Iran was on the attack, the 33-year-old car dealer told AFP. Fans in Tehran watched a broadcast of the match in a packed hall dotted with Iranian flags and portraits of the Islamic republic’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated in the opening strikes of the Middle East war. Emotions seesawed throughout the game, as Iranian supporters applauded and cheered every successful tackle while sighing and grabbing their heads in disbelief over the missed chances. The crowd was stunned when Egypt took an early lead but regained hope after the referee awarded Iran a penalty. The optimism was short-lived as striker Mehdi Taremi failed to convert from the spot. Minutes later, defender Ramin Rezaeian equalised, sending fans into a wild frenzy. “I really believe in Team Melli, especially since they didn’t give in after they conceded a goal,” Amir, a 16-year-old student, told AFP at the Tehran Book Garden venue. Leyli, 41, who only gave her first name, was also encouraged by Iran’s display in the ferocious match played in Seattle. “The game’s been good. We really didn’t play badly,” she told AFP during the half-time break. ‘Live with regret’ People were on the edge of their seats throughout the second half. Some stood, while others paced around the hall to ease the tension before erupting in celebration when Shoja Khalilzadeh appeared to score what could have been the winner deep into stoppage time. Their jubilation was cut short when the referee ruled out the goal. The final whistle, shortly before 9:00am Tehran time, left the hall silent. Some supporters headed home, while others went straight to work. “It’s become our habit to live with regret. Regret over the final moments, the important ones,” said Amin, the car dealer. Iranians react as they watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group G football match between Egypt and Iran in Tehran on June 27, 2026. —AFP The 2026 World Cup is the first in history in which a host nation has been at war with one of the participating teams. The conflict sowed chaos in the Middle East, with Tehran retaliating with attacks on Israel and US allies in the region and blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for energy shipments. But the US and Iran signed an agreement earlier this month and launched a process aimed at reaching a permanent settlement in the war. On the pitch, the draw left Iran third in Group G behind Belgium and Egypt, who secured direct qualification. Team Melli will now wait on results elsewhere to see whether they can still advance to the next stage as one of the eight best third-placed teams. Mahsa Azad believes the result did not reflect Iran’s performance. “What a game. It’s a pity we didn’t win. They really did their best,” the electrical engineer told AFP. “It’s football. The odds weren’t in our favour. Otherwise, we deserved to win,” she said.

Seattle: Iran were left anxiously waiting to discover whether they had done enough to reach the FIFA World Cup knockout stage after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Egypt, in which a stoppage-time winner was ruled out for offside following a VAR review. Already guaranteed qualification, Egypt finished second in Group G on five points behind Belgium on goal difference and will face Australia in the Round of 32 in Dallas on July 3.Iran ended third with three points and will now wait to see if they can progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams. There was an early flurry of life to the fixture as Egypt took the lead inside five minutes. The move was started by Mohamed Salah but Mahmoud Saber’s shot slipped through the fingers of Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.Iran reacted immediately and were awarded a penalty when Mehdi Taremi was chopped down, but goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir dived the right way to deny the striker. Shobeir then made another fine save but Ramin Rezaeian drove home the rebound from a tight angle in the 14th minute.Odin, Oars And Ousmane Dembele: Norway Still Rowing After Viking Craze Meets A French Trebuchet In FIFA World Cup 2026 Egypt, already through, sat back after the first-half water break and Iran gradually took control of a scrappy contest with few clear-cut chances after the manic opening. The drama returned in the last moments. Taremi’s header hit the crossbar before Shoja Khalilzadeh smashed the ball home in the third minute of stoppage time, sending the Iranian bench into wild celebration as they spilled onto the pitch believing they had secured a famous victory.However, VAR intervened and ruled Khalilzadeh marginally offside, crushing Iran's celebrations and ensuring their World Cup fate was no longer in their own hands. (Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Iran have a goal ruled out for offside and hit the crossbar in the final moments of a thrilling 1-1 draw against Egypt in Seattle, leaving them hoping to secure qualification to the FIFA World Cup knockout stages by being one of the top eight third-placed teams.

There was late drama after VAR ruled an Iran goal in the 93rd minute for offside as Egypt moved on to the knockouts, while Iran will have to wait to know their fate