“Lebanon 24” continues to follow up on the file of the Arab teams participating in the 2026 World Cup, by reading the status of each team, its history in the tournament, its most prominent players, and its chances in its group. Today, the stop is with Iraq, the team that returns to the World Cup after a long absence, bringing with it a special public dimension, but also a difficult test in one of the strongest groups of the tournament.
Iraq reserved its place in the 2026 World Cup after defeating Bolivia 2-1 in the continental playoff, to be the last team to qualify for the tournament, and to return to the finals after an absence of 40 years. Ali Al Hammadi scored the first goal, before Ayman Hussein sealed the qualification ticket with the winning goal in the second half.
Historically, Iraq does not have a large presence in the World Cup, as its only previous participation dates back to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where it was eliminated from the first round after three losses. Therefore, the 2026 edition seems different in its meaning, because it does not represent just a new participation, but rather a return for a team that has waited a long time to regain its place on the world stage.
Technically, the team is led by coach Graham Arnold, who knows the atmosphere of the World Cup after previously leading Australia to the round of 16 in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Arnold focused in his recent statements on the “fighting spirit” that he wants from his players, which seems necessary in light of the size of the opponents awaiting Iraq in the first round.
At the level of names, Ayman Hussein stands out as the most important offensive card, especially after his decisive goal in the playoff, along with Ali Al-Hammadi, Ali Jassim, Muhannad Ali, Zidane Iqbal, Amir Al-Ammari, and Kevin Yaqoub. The Iraqi List is not based on one international star, but rather on a group that needs discipline and cohesion to compensate for the difference in experience against major teams.
The draw for Iraq was harsh, as it fell into Group Nine alongside France, Norway and Senegal. He will begin his campaign against Norway in Boston, then face France in Philadelphia, before concluding the first round against Senegal on June 26 in Toronto.
The first match against Norway will be the key to the journey. It is true that the Norwegian team has strong names in attack, but Iraq cannot wait for the matches between France and Senegal to start collecting points. Therefore, the beginning for Norway will be an opportunity to see how much the team can withstand, and to confuse an opponent who has high individual quality.
As for facing France, it is the most difficult on paper, because the French team enters the tournament as one of the most prominent candidates, and has names from the first row. Here, Iraq will be required to reduce losses, close spaces, and not be drawn into an open match. In the third round against Senegal, he may find himself facing a physical, quick, and perhaps decisive confrontation if he remains in the reckoning.
Iraq’s ambition must remain realistic. Qualifying for the second round will be a great achievement, but the most important thing is that the return is not just a passing appearance. The team has the spirit, the crowd and the motivation, but it needs extreme discipline in every match. For Iraq, the 2026 World Cup is not only a return after four decades, but an opportunity to say that its presence among the greats did not come by chance.
