Objectives from Ali al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein ship Iraq to their first FIFA World Cup since 1986.
Printed On 1 Apr 2026
Iraq have ended a 40-year look ahead to an look on the FIFA World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Bolivia within the second closing of the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico, making them the forty eighth workforce to qualify for the event.
Objectives from Ali al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein helped the Lions of Mesopotamia edge previous the South American nation on the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe on Tuesday.
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Al-Hamadi’s opener within the tenth minute gave Iraq the proper begin, however Moises Paniagua drew the Greens stage 28 minutes later in a closely-contested match in one of many cohost nations of the World Cup.
The impasse was damaged shortly after the half-time break when Hussein scored the match-winning objective from shut vary as he slotted in Marko Farji’s cross within the 53rd minute.
Iraq’s look on the qualifying event was in doubt because the gamers had been affected by the journey chaos ensuing from the continued battle within the Center East.
Weeks earlier than their look within the playoff closing, Iraq’s coach Graham Arnold pleaded with the organisers to delay their match to permit the squad to assemble and prepare for the all-important fixture.
The players and training employees arrived in Mexico only a week earlier than the match on a constitution flight and started preparations within the host metropolis.
“I need to congratulate the gamers who performed with actual Iraqi mentality, combating and placing their our bodies on the road and that’s why we received the sport,” a delighted Arnold mentioned after Iraq’s win.
“I’m so pleased that we’ve made 46 million folks pleased, and particularly with what’s happening within the Center East in the mean time,” he added.
Arnold heaped reward on the South American opponents, who had been trying to enter the World Cup for the primary time since 1994.
“You’ve acquired to present full credit score to Bolivia, as a result of they performed properly. And it was simply via the nice defending from our gamers, who put their our bodies on the road, as I mentioned, and we defended the crosses very well. That’s why we received the sport.”
Iraq will likely be positioned in one of many hardest teams on the World Cup. Their opponents in Group I will likely be France, Norway and Senegal.
The Center East workforce will face Norway of their opening recreation on June 16 in Boston. Their second fixture will likely be in opposition to 2018 champions France on June 22 in Philadelphia, and their closing group recreation, in opposition to Senegal, will happen 4 days later in Toronto, Canada.
Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had been the 2 seeded groups on the playoff event and instantly certified for the finals.
Each lived as much as their reputations by profitable the matches that determined the ultimate two members of the 48-team event to be cohosted by Canada, Mexico and the USA from June 11 to July 19.
DRC defeated Jamaica 1-0 within the earlier fixture.
Bolivia first needed to get previous Suriname in Monterrey on Thursday, whereas Jamaica overcame New Caledonia.
Iraq’s solely earlier World Cup look was in Mexico in 1986, the place they misplaced all three group video games.
