TEHRAN - Iran U23 football team head coach Hossein Abdi says his side are ready to face the United Arab Emirates in their opening match of the group stage at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

Iran will begin their campaign against the UAE on Wednesday, with Abdi acknowledging the challenges surrounding his squad while insisting that his players are fully focused on making a strong start to the competition.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Abdi expressed his delight at returning to Japan and praised the country for its hospitality.

“I’m happy to be back in Japan. I think this is the fifth or sixth time I’ve come here, although I’m not exactly sure,” Abdi said.

“I have very good memories of my previous visits to Japan with my teams. Japan has always been a great host, and I’m very happy and proud to be back at the Asian Games. These competitions provide a great opportunity for players to gain valuable experience. I hope this experience will help them in the future and ultimately benefit Iranian football.”

The Iran coach also spoke highly of the relationship between Iran and Japan, highlighting the cultural ties between the two Asian nations.

“It is an honor and a pleasure for me to be here in Japan because Iran and Japan have had very good relations throughout history. Our cultures also have very old roots. Your culture may be four or five thousand years old, while ours is around seven thousand years old. As Asians, we understand each other and respect one another.”

Abdi stressed that the Asian Games represent more than just a sporting competition.

“We are not here only for football and sport,” he added. “Sport can bring nations closer together. It teaches us to respect one another, to be good people and to work towards building a better world. In my opinion, respect and humanity are the most important values in sport.”

Abdi also addressed the absence of five players for the opening match, with the fixture falling outside the FIFA international window.

“The schedule means that the first match is being played outside the FIFA window,” Abdi explained. “Unfortunately, this is a problem that we cannot do anything about at the moment. We have to accept the situation. This is the squad we have available for the first match. If we don’t have any injuries, we will face the UAE with 15 outfield players and three goalkeepers.

“That is football. These kinds of challenges exist, and we have to accept the circumstances. We will give everything we have and do our best to put in a good performance against a strong UAE team.”