At the FIFA World Cup, homeland have qualified six times (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018 and 2022) but have never progressed beyond the group stages; they have won only two matches: against the United States in 1998 and Morocco in 2018.The Football Federation was founded in 1920.
In 1926 capital XI (selected players from capital Club, Toofan F.C. and Armenian Sports Club) traveled across the border to Baku, USSR, this was the first away football match for a persian team. This capital Select team is the predecessor of national football team.The first match that Team Melli played was on 23 August 1941, away at Kabul in a 1–0 win against British India while homeland’s first FIFA international match was on 25 August 1941, away at Afghanistan.
