Financial Tribune- Turkey’s Football Federation has confirmed that the country will hold a friendly match with Iran’s national team – the first encounter in 45 years since their last match in 1974.

Iran’s Portuguese head coach Carlos Quiroz had announced earlier that Team Melli will play friendly matches with at least two European teams. Turkey, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia, Bulgaria and even Italy were among the nations he had expressed in.

Iran will meet Turkey on May 28, but the host Turkish city has not been announced yet. The other European rival has not been named, Varzesh3.com wrote.

Turkey entered the finals of the FIFA World Cup on two occasions in 1954 and 2002 and finished ninth and third respectively.

Team Melli is also scheduled to play with Algeria on June 2. The match will be held at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium as the last game for Iran at home before leaving for Russia two days later for the World Cup.

The National squad will spend 11 days in Russia before its first match with Morocco on June 15. Quiroz has said Iran will play another friendly in that period.

Training sessions for Team Melli begin next week after the Persian Gulf Pro League week. Those playing for domestic clubs will attend the training sessions.

Iran entered the 2018 World Cup as the third team after the host country Russia and Brazil. European powerhouses Spain and Portugal as well African lion Morocco have been drawn with Iran in Group B of the preliminary stage.

Quiroz’s men will meet Morocco in Saint Petersburg on June 15. Five days later they will play their strongest rival Spain in Kazan and the last group game will be against Portugal on June 25.