Iraq

Few stories at the 2026 World Cup carry the emotional weight of Iraq's. The Lions of Mesopotamia have graced this tournament just once before, back in the mid-1980s in Mexico, and generations of supporters have waited for a return ever since. Through everything the country has endured, football remained a unifying force — never more so than when Iraq memorably lifted the Asian Cup in 2007 — and qualification for 2026 feels like the closing of a forty-year circle.

The draw, it must be said, offered no favors. Group I pairs Iraq with France, one of the modern game's true superpowers, Norway, whose golden generation has finally carried them back to this stage, and Senegal, perennial standard-bearers for African football. On paper it is one of the toughest pools in the tournament, but that is precisely what makes Iraq so watchable: a team playing with house money, enormous traveling support, and a knack for raising their level on the big occasion.

Iraq open against Norway — 16 Jun 2026, 18:00 local at Gillette Stadium, Boston (listed home), before facing France — 22 Jun 2026, 17:00 local at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, and closing against Senegal — 26 Jun 2026, 15:00 local at BMO Field, Toronto. The opener in Boston looms as the pivotal match: take something from Norway, and everything that follows becomes possible.

The 48-team format gives Iraq a genuine pathway. The top two in Group I advance to the Round of 32, but so do the eight best third-placed sides across the tournament — meaning a single win and a hard-earned draw could be enough to extend this long-awaited return into the knockout rounds. For a fanbase that has waited four decades, every point will feel like history.