Iran’s national basketball team kicked off its preparation for the 2026 Asian Games with a first training session in Nagoya, Japan, under the guidance of head coach Sotirios Manolopoulos.
The squad, which arrived in the city at the weekend, took to the court at the Aichi International Arena, where they began drills ahead of a demanding group stage that will see them face Qatar, Chinese Taipei and Jordan.
Their opening match is slated for Thursday, September 10, against Qatar, followed by contests on September 12 and 13 against Chinese Taipei and Jordan respectively, while the tournament itself will run until September 20.
The latest FIBA Men’s World Ranking places Iran at 28th globally, a drop of two positions, yet the team remains fourth among Asian and Oceanian nations, trailing only the United States, Germany and France at the top of the world list.
With a target of a podium finish, the Iranian players hope their performance in Nagoya will help climb the rankings and bring the country closer to a medal.