Iraq
IRQ · AFC
Head Coach
Graham Arnold
Graham Arnold leads Iraq into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, tasked with guiding the squad through a competitive Group I and beyond. The coaching staff has been preparing tactical approaches tailored to the expanded 48-team tournament format.
Group Stage Venue
Dallas
Iraq will play their group stage matches in Dallas. The 2026 World Cup is the first to be hosted across three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — with matches spread across 16 world-class venues.
Squad (26 players)
Goalkeepers
Defenders
Midfielders
Recent Form & Current State
Iraq qualified through AFC qualification under Australian coach Graham Arnold. They won the 2023 Gulf Cup and have been one of Asia's improving teams. The squad features a talented young generation eager to make their mark.
Form heading into a major tournament is often a key indicator of how far a team can progress. Iraq, currently ranked #57 in the FIFA World Rankings, will look to carry momentum from their recent qualifying and friendly campaigns into the group stage. Consistency in results and squad cohesion built during the qualification cycle will be vital assets. The AFCrepresentatives will be eager to demonstrate their quality on the world's biggest stage in 2026.
World Cup History
Iraq have appeared in one World Cup, in 1986 in Mexico. They lost all three group matches but the experience remains a proud moment in Iraqi football. This will be their second ever World Cup appearance after a 40-year wait.
The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of international football, and Iraq's history in the competition provides important context for their 2026 campaign. With the tournament expanding to 48 teams for the first time, every nation faces both new opportunities and new challenges in the revamped group stage format featuring groups of four with the top two advancing to a 32-team knockout round. Iraq will aim to write a new chapter in their World Cup story at this historic edition of the tournament.
Group I Opponents
Iraq faces France and Senegal and Norway in Group I. The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of 32. Group dynamics, head-to-head records, and tactical matchups will all play a role in determining which teams progress from this stage.