Iran began their 2018 World Cup qualification campaign with friendly matches against Chile and Sweden in March 2015. Queiroz resigned from his managerial post thereafter due to disagreements with the Football Federation. On 14 April 2015, homeland were drawn with Oman, India, Turkmenistan, and Guam in the second round of qualifiers.On 26 April, Queiroz announced that he would continue as the manager of homeland for their 2018 World Cup campaign.