Iran vs Gambia Live Score – Pre-World Cup Friendly Commentary & Match Report
Iran take on Gambia on Friday, 29 May 2026, with kickoff at 1:00 PM BST / 8:00 AM ET / 3:00 PM local at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey. This is the first-ever senior international meeting between the two nations, and it doubles as Team Melli’s final warm-up fixture before heading to Mexico for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Iran, drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand, come into this match on the back of a stunning 5-0 win over Costa Rica at this very ground in March. Gambia, by contrast, did not qualify for the World Cup, but use the occasion to build preparation for their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign under coach Johnathan McKinstry. Follow this page for the Iran vs Gambia live score, goals, cards, and full match result. You can also watch live as coverage becomes available.
Iran vs Gambia Live Score
Iran vs Gambia Match Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | Iran vs Gambia |
| Competition | International Friendly — Pre-World Cup 2026 |
| Date | Friday, 29 May 2026 |
| Kickoff Time | 08:00 AM ET / 01:00 PM BST / 03:00 PM Local (Antalya) |
| Venue | Mardan Sports Complex, Antalya, Turkey |
| Capacity | 7,428 |
| Iran WC Group | Group G — Opener: vs New Zealand, 15 June 2026 |
| Gambia WC Status | Not qualified — preparing for AFCON 2027 qualifying |
This fixture is Iran’s last match before their official tournament squad flies to Mexico ahead of the 2026 World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended Iran’s previous friendly at this same Antalya ground in March and personally confirmed Team Melli’s participation in the tournament. For Gambia, drawn alongside Ghana and Ivory Coast in AFCON 2027 qualifying Group C, this is a valuable high-calibre test before their qualifying campaign begins in September 2026.
Iran vs Gambia Predicted Lineups
Confirmed lineups will be added here approximately one hour before kickoff.
Iran (Predicted):
Coach Amir Ghalenoei is expected to deploy his preferred 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 shape, with captain Mehdi Taremi leading the attack. The Olympiacos striker scored a brace of penalties in the 5-0 win over Costa Rica and is the focal point of Team Melli’s offensive play. Goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand starts between the posts, protected by a defensive unit anchored by veteran Shoja Khalilzadeh. Saman Ghoddos and Ali Jahanbakhsh provide creativity from midfield and wide areas respectively, while Saeid Ezatolahi screens the defence. Note: Sardar Azmoun is not expected to be involved, having been barred from the national team in March 2026. The starting XI for Iran has not yet been confirmed. Check back closer to kickoff.
Gambia (Predicted):
Coach Johnathan McKinstry is expected to line up in a disciplined 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 shape. Key winger Abdoulie Manneh is absent from this camp, which weakens Gambia’s attacking threat on the right flank. The Scorpions will likely rely on organisation and compactness to contain Iran’s counter-attacking speed. The starting XI for Gambia has not yet been confirmed. Check back closer to kickoff
Iran Pre-Match Form
Iran arrive at this final warm-up in encouraging shape after their emphatic March result in Turkey. Coach Amir Ghalenoei has maintained a 68% win rate across his second spell in charge, and his side will be confident of another positive outing here.
- Won vs Costa Rica 5-0 — 31 March 2026.
- Lost vs Nigeria 1-2 — 27 March 2026.
- Drew vs Uzbekistan 0-0 (won 4-3 on pens) — 18 November 2025.
- Drew vs Cape Verde 0-0 (won 4-5 on pens) — 13 November 2025.
- Won vs Tanzania 2-0 — 14 October 2025.
The 5-0 thrashing of Costa Rica at this exact venue — in front of FIFA President Infantino — was a landmark performance for Team Melli. Taremi’s two penalties were the highlight, and Iran’s attacking options look sharp heading into Group G. The loss to Nigeria, however, was a reminder that Iran can be caught on the counter when the defensive structure is disrupted. Three wins from five overall, with two additional penalty shootout wins, is solid form for Ghalenoei.
Gambia Pre-Match Form
Gambia failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, finishing off the pace in their CAF qualifying group — 12 points behind Gabon and 13 behind Ivory Coast. Coach McKinstry now focuses on AFCON 2027 qualifying, where the Scorpions face a tough Group C draw against Ghana and Ivory Coast.
- Lost vs Senegal 1-3 — International Friendly, April 2026.
- Won vs Seychelles 7-0 — WC Qualifier 2026.
- Lost vs Ivory Coast — WC Qualifier 2026. Lost vs Kenya — WC Qualifier 2026.
- Lost vs Gabon — WC Qualifier 2026.
Gambia showed they can dismantle weaker opposition with the 7-0 thrashing of Seychelles, but the loss to Senegal in April exposed the gap between the Scorpions and Africa’s elite. The absence of key winger Abdoulie Manneh is a significant blow going into a match where Gambia will need their best creative players to threaten Iran. Full form data for Gambia beyond the above was not available at time of writing.
Iran vs Gambia Head-to-Head
This is the first-ever senior international meeting between Iran and Gambia. There is no previous H2H record between the two nations at full international level.
| Date | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| — | — | First-ever meeting |
With no prior H2H data to reference, the context is straightforward: Iran are FIFA-ranked 21st, Gambia rank 115th — a gap of 94 places. Iran are heavy favourites and will be expected to win comfortably on the evidence of their recent form.
Iran vs Gambia Match Preview
Iran’s preparations for World Cup 2026 could hardly have gone better at this Antalya venue. The Mardan Sports Complex has now hosted two consecutive Iran friendlies — the Nigeria loss and the Costa Rica demolition in March — and Ghalenoei’s squad know the surroundings well. This final run-out before flying to Mexico gives the coach one last chance to assess his 35-man training camp squad and make final decisions before cutting to the tournament 26.
Gambia’s presence in Antalya speaks to their own ambitions. McKinstry has been assembling his players in the Turkish resort city specifically to run a preparatory camp before the AFCON 2027 qualifiers begin in September. The Iran pre-World Cup friendly is the headline fixture of that camp, and for the Scorpions it represents a chance to test themselves against genuine World Cup-calibre opposition for the first time in their recent history.
The tactical contrast is clear. Iran will look to press quickly, use Taremi’s movement in behind, and play through Jahanbakhsh and Ghoddos in the half-spaces. Gambia will need to stay compact, deny space in transition, and hope to nick a set-piece goal. A comfortable Iran win is the expected outcome, but McKinstry’s Scorpions have shown before — most notably at the 2021 AFCON — that they can compete above their ranking when organised and motivated.
Iran vs Gambia Match Report
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Match report will be added at full time.
Frequently Asked Questions
The current score in Iran vs Gambia is 0–0. The match kicks off on Friday, 29 May 2026 at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey. This page updates in real time — refresh for the latest score.
Iran vs Gambia kicks off at 3:00 PM local time in Antalya (UTC+3) on Friday, 29 May 2026. That is 1:00 PM BST and 8:00 AM ET. The match is played at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey.
The match has not yet kicked off. Check back for the live score and full result — this page will be updated in real time from kickoff to the final whistle.
Iran vs Gambia is yet to be played. Kickoff is at 8:00 AM ET on Friday, 29 May 2026 — follow this page for the live result as it happens.
Yes, for Iran. This match is Team Melli’s final friendly before travelling to Mexico for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Iran open their Group G campaign on 15 June against New Zealand. Gambia did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup and are using this friendly as preparation for their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign, which begins in September 2026.
No. Iran vs Gambia on 29 May 2026 is the first-ever senior international meeting between the two nations.
Iran vs Gambia brings the curtain down on Team Melli’s pre-tournament schedule at the Mardan Sports Complex in Antalya, with Amir Ghalenoei using this final fixture to lock in his World Cup 26-man squad ahead of Group G opening against New Zealand on 15 June. Bookmark this page for live score updates, goal alerts, and the full match result as soon as the final whistle sounds.
Follow FWCTimes.com for the Iran vs Gambia player ratings, match report, and all pre-World Cup friendly 2026 coverage. Check Also: Lebanon vs Sudan Preview
