USMNT World Cup Opponent Iran Fires Manager Four Months Before Tournament

Iran, the U.S. men’s national team’s final group stage opponent at the World Cup, has fired manager Dragan Skočić, per the country’s official state media. 

The move comes just four months before the start of the World Cup in Qatar, where Iran will share a tough group with the U.S., England and Wales. All three group opponents are situated in the top 23 of the latest FIFA world rankings. 

No team recorded more points in Asian World Cup qualifying than Skočić-led Iran’s 25 after it went 8–1–1 in 10 World Cup qualifiers. Its only loss in qualifying came against South Korea, which also qualified for the World Cup. 

The Croatian had spent seven years coaching in Iran’s domestic league before replacing Marc Wilmots as Iranian manager in 2020. Skočić won 15 of his 18 matches while his last game in charge was a 2–1 friendly loss to Algeria on June 12. 

The team’s last major tournament was in 2019 at the AFC Asian Cup, where it was eliminated by Japan in the semifinals.

The fall tournament will be the country’s third straight appearance at the World Cup. In 2018 in Russia, Iran finished third in its group on four points while securing a surprise draw with then-European champion Portugal.

Iran will kick off its World Cup against England on Nov. 21.