DOHA : Iraq will return to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years when they compete at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with coach Graham Arnold’s side hoping to make a strong impression on their long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage.
Drawn in Group I alongside former champions France, Norway and Senegal, Iraq face a daunting challenge in only their second World Cup appearance.
The 2007 Asian Cup winners open their campaign against Norway in Boston on June 16 before taking on France in Philadelphia on June 22. They conclude the group stage against Senegal in Toronto four days later.
Arnold, who took charge following the departure of Spaniard Jesus Casas, revitalised Iraq’s qualification campaign and guided the team to the finals after a difficult route through the playoffs.
Iraq became the last nation to qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament after defeating Bolivia in the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico.
Their qualification ended a four-decade wait since their only previous World Cup appearance at the 1986 finals in Mexico and contributed to a record eight Arab nations qualifying for the tournament.
Iraq’s path to the World Cup was far from straightforward. After winning all six matches in the second round of Asian qualifying, they narrowly missed direct qualification, finishing one point behind Jordan in the third round.
The Iraqis then progressed through multiple playoff stages, drawing with Saudi Arabia and defeating Indonesia in the Asian playoffs before overcoming the United Arab Emirates in a two-legged tie. They eventually secured their place through the intercontinental playoffs.
Arnold’s side will rely heavily on striker Aymen Hussein, winger Ali Jasim and forward Mohanad Ali, all of whom played key roles during the qualification campaign.
With expectations high among supporters, Iraq will look to re-establish themselves on the global stage and prove they can compete with some of the world’s strongest teams after a 40-year absence from the World Cup.
