Iraq clinched a spot at the 2026 World Cup after a 1-0 win over Bolivia in Mexico, the venue of their 1986 debut. The 66‑year‑old Karim Allawi, who featured in that original squad, now watches his nation face Norway, France and Senegal in Boston on 16 June. He describes the group as a “death‑trap” and hopes the side surpasses the 1986 campaign.

The current squad sits 57th globally and boasts European experience, with Ipswich’s Ali Al‑Hamadi, Utrecht midfielder Zidane Iqbal and AGF champion Kevin Yakob leading the attack. Their progress reflects the impact of Graham Arnold, appointed in 2025 after guiding Australia to the 2022 knockout stage. Arnold steered Iraq through tight play‑offs, including a decisive win over the United Arab Emirates before the Bolivia triumph.

Decades of war, sanctions and the brutal Uday Hussein era left Iraqi football starved of resources and home fixtures. FIFA finally approved Basra for qualifiers in 2020, ending a long exile of matches to Jordan or Malaysia. Allawi says scoring once would be historic, winning a game remarkable, and advancing would vindicate a nation that waited four decades for this moment.