The 2026 World Cup group stage match between Iran and Belgium witnessed a remarkable achievement, as the Iranian national team set a record for the oldest starting lineup in the tournament’s history. This significant milestone was noted during a match that ultimately remains scoreless as of the fifth minute.
Details: According to statistics from Opta, a leading data agency that has tracked World Cup records since 1966, the average age of the eleven Iranian players on the field at kickoff was 32 years and 181 days. This statistic surpasses the previous record held by the German team during the 1998 World Cup.
The rankings for the oldest starting lineups in World Cup history are now led by:
- Iran (vs Belgium, WC 2026) – 32 years and 181 days;
- Germany (vs Iran, WC 1998) – 31 years and 334 days;
- Belgium (vs Mexico, WC 1998) – 31 years and 301 days.
In another development, the Iranian national team has also filed a formal complaint with FIFA against the US government.