Iraq end a 40-year wait at the FIFA World Cup this summer as the Lions of Mesopotamia return to football’s biggest stage for the first time since Mexico 1986.
Their last appearance brought three defeats and just one goal, scored by Ahmed Radhi against Belgium. Graham Arnold’s side will carry a generation’s hopes when they kick off against Norway in Boston on 16 June. The former Australia head coach took charge in May 2025 with Iraq’s qualification hanging by a thread.
He replaced Spaniard Jesús Casas, sacked after a 2-1 defeat to Palestine, left the team third in their Asian group. The new appointment proved transformative. Iraq finished third in their AFC third-round group behind South Korea and Jordan. They then beat Indonesia 1-0 and drew with Saudi Arabia in the fourth round.
Iraq: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
A two-legged Asian playoff against the UAE followed in November. Iraq drew 1-1 in Abu Dhabi before sealing the tie with a 2-1 home win in Basra. The intercontinental playoff against Bolivia in Monterrey on 31 March became the final hurdle. Aymen Hussein netted the winner in a 2-1 victory, sending Iraq to North America.
Veteran goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, with 100 caps, captains the side and is Iraq’s most experienced player. Al-Karma’s Hussein led the scoring charts in Asian qualifying with eight goals before that famous Bolivia winner. Ipswich Town’s Ali Al-Hamadi, the first Iraqi to play in the Premier League, scored the opener against Bolivia.
Manchester United academy graduate Zidane Iqbal, now at FC Utrecht, anchors the midfield. The squad blends Europe-based talent with a domestic spine drawn heavily from Al-Shorta and Al-Zawraa.
Group I delivered a brutal welcome. Iraq face Norway in their opener, then Didier Deschamps’ France in Philadelphia. The closing fixture pits them against Sadio Mané’s Senegal in Toronto. Arnold has urged his players to embrace the privilege of facing Mbappé, Haaland and Mané.
Iraq 2026 World Cup fixtures
- Tuesday, June 16th – Iraq vs Norway – Foxborough, USA
- Monday, June 22nd – France vs Iraq – Philadelphia, USA
- Friday, June 26th – Senegal vs Iraq – Toronto, Canada
What time do Iraq’s World Cup games kick off?
All kick-off times are BST.
- Iraq vs Norway, 11pm
- France vs Iraq, 10pm
- Senegal vs Iraq, 8pm
Iraq 2026 FIFA World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Fahad Talib (Al-Talaba), Jalal Hassan (Al-Zawraa), Ahmed Basil (Al-Shorta).
Defenders: Hussein Ali (Pogon Szczecin), Manaf Younis, Ahmed Yahya, Mustafa Saadoon (Al-Shorta), Zaid Tahseen (Pakhtakor), Rebin Sulaka (Port), Akam Hashim (Al-Zawraa), Merchas Doski (Viktoria Plzen), Zaid Ismail (Al-Talaba), Frans Putros (Persib).
Midfielders: Amir Al-Ammari (Cracovia), Kevin Yakob (Aarhus GF), Zidane Iqbal (Utrecht), Aimar Sher (Sarpsborg), Ibrahim Bayesh (Al-Dhafra), Ahmed Qasem (Nashville SC), Youssef Amyn (AEK Larnaca), Marko Farji (Venezia).
Forwards: Ali Jassim (Al-Najma), Ali Al-Hamadi (Ipswich), Ali Yousef (Al-Talaba), Aymen Hussein (Al-Karma), Mohanad Ali (Dibba).
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