Tasnim – Iran national football team goalkeeper Payam Niazmand will be absent in the upcoming two matches against Turkmenistan.
The goalie has suffered a foot injury and will miss the two matches against the Central Asian team in the Preliminary Joint Qualification - Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.
Iran will host Turkmenistan on March 21 in Tehran and play the Central Asian team on March 26 in Ashgabat.
Tractor goalkeeper Hossein Pourhamidi has replaced Niazmand for the matches.