TEHRAN – The friendly match between Iran and Mali football teams has been confirmed.

The match will be played as part of preparation for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in Antalya, Turkey on Oct. 13.

The ‘Persian Leopards’ will first meet Uzbekistan national football team on Oct. 8 in Tashkent.

The 2022 World Cup qualifiers scheduled this year were postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Iran, who sit third in Group C behind Iraq and Bahrain, have four must-win matches ahead in the competition.

The eight group winners of the World Cup qualification’s group stage and four best runners-up will advance to the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Finals and the final round of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The next best 24 teams from the second round of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining 12 slots in the 24-team AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar will run from November 21 to December 18, 2022.