Dana Bina – Afshin Ghotbi

March 15, 2026

Ghotbi Suggests Neutral Path for Iranian Players at the World Cup

In a recent interview with BBC News, renowned football coach Afshin Ghotbi shared his thoughts on the possibility of Iranian players participating in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 despite current geopolitical tensions. Ghotbi, who has coached both the Iran national football team and the United States men’s national soccer …

Football Notes

March 15, 2026

Football Should Never Be Defined by Politics

Afshin Ghotbi on Unity, Hope, and the True Power of the Game At a time when geopolitical tensions and global uncertainty dominate headlines, sport remains one of the few spaces where humanity can still come together. Football, the world’s most popular game, has long served as a bridge between cultures, …

News

March 15, 2026

Iran’s Women Footballers Show Courage on the World Stage

The Iran women’s football team became “heroes” when they declined to sing the country’s national anthem at the Asian Cup, says former Iran men’s head coach Afshin Ghotbi. Before their opening match against South Korea women’s national football team on March 2, 2026 the Iranian players chose not to sing …

Afshin's Notes

December 2, 2025

One World, One Sport, One Cup, Zero Politics

As an American citizen born in Iran, and someone fortunate enough to coach both the U.S. and Iranian national teams, I feel a personal responsibility to speak about the World Cup 2026 Draw and Iran’s delegation. Football has shown me, time and time again, its power to bridge boundaries and …