TEHRAN — Iran’s blind football team head coach, Javad Felfeli, has expressed the team’s determination to secure a spot in the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

The team made history at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, where they claimed a silver medal. However, four years later, they unexpectedly withdrew from the Tokyo Games, being replaced by Thailand.

Currently, the team are preparing for the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya.

“Our team have not participated in any international competitions since the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. In January, we held national championships for both youth and senior levels, which also served as selection trials for the national team,” Felfeli said in an exclusive interview with the Tehran Times.

“We have started our camp with a mix of experienced and young players, including two players from the youth team. We are focusing on technical and tactical training, but our primary emphasis is on physical fitness to ensure that the players reach an adequate level of readiness,” he added.

When asked about the team’s preparations for upcoming events, Felfeli stated: “We are currently concentrating all our efforts on the 2028 Paralympic Games, but before that, we have the Asian Para Games in Nagoya. The camps have commenced for this purpose, and in September, we will participate in the 2025 IBSA Men’s Blind Football Nations Cup in Kochi, India.”