The 2026 World Cup group stage match between Iran and Belgium was significant for the Iranian national team, which achieved a historic milestone by fielding the oldest starting lineup ever recorded in the tournament’s history.
Details: According to the statistical agency Opta, which has tracked World Cup data since 1966, Iran’s starting eleven had an average age of 32 years and 181 days. This achievement surpassed the previous record set by the German team during the 1998 tournament.
The current top three oldest lineups in World Cup history are as follows:
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- 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.
As of the fifth minute of the match, the score between Belgium and Iran remained 0-0.