Why is Iran called IRN? Explaining country code for 2026 World Cup team

Why is Iran called IRN? Explaining country code for 2026 World Cup team originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Iran are back at the FIFA World Cup in 2026, with Team Melli aiming to reach the knockout stages for the first time in the nation's history.

As fans follow Iran's campaign, they will see the country represented by the abbreviation "IRN" throughout the tournament.

Here's the explanation behind FIFA's official code for Iran.

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IRN is Iran's official three-letter country code and is derived directly from the country's name.

IRN is the abbreviation used by FIFA on scoreboards, standings and official World Cup graphics and has long been used to represent the nation in international sport.

The code is not unique to soccer. Iran also competes as IRN across a range of international sports, including basketball, volleyball and the Olympic Games.

Iran is located in West Asia and shares borders with Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The country also has coastlines along the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

With a population of around 90 million people, Iran is one of the largest countries in the Middle East. Persian, also known as Farsi, is the official language, while Tehran serves as both the capital and largest city.

Iran are appearing at the World Cup for the seventh time in their history. Team Melli have qualified for four of the last five editions of the tournament and are aiming to reach the knockout stage for the first time.

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