Iraq World Cup 2026 squad: Graham Arnold's latest selection for success in the World Cup qualifying inter-confederation play-offs

The Iraq World Cup 2026 squad will arrive in North America in the summer with history at their fingertips.

World Cup 2026 will be Iraq's first appearance at the finals since 1986, when three defeats out of three confirmed their early exit. 40 years on, Graham Arnold's class of 2026 earned return to the biggest stage and a long-awaited chance to pick up their first-ever finals win.

After beating Bolivia in the inter-confederation play-offs in March, Iraq will meet Senegal, Norway and France – one of the World Cup favourites – in Group I this summer.

At World Cup 1986 in Mexico, the Iraqi team made up the numbers. They were beaten by Mexico, Paraguay and Belgium, scoring only once in their defeat at the hands of the excellent Red Devils.

The Gulf nation's journey back to the finals has been impossibly complicated for obvious reasons that have nothing to do with football. After nine World Cups away, in the current geopolitical climate, the meaning of Iraq returning and playing in the United States outstrips whatever happens on the pitch.

Arnold's squad for the play-off final was packed with international experience. Striker Aymen Hussein has more than 90 senior caps, and only eight of his fellow squad members arrive at the play-off final short of double figures. Leagues in Thailand, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Uzbekistan, Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Italy, Denmark, Norway and England are all represented.

Squad

Iraq World Cup 2026 squad: The March selection

• GK: Fahad Talib (Al-Talaba)
• GK: Ahmed Basil (Al-Shorta)
• GK: Kamel Al-Rekabe (Erbil)
• DF: Rebin Sulaka (Port)
• DF: Manaf Younis (Al-Shorta)
• DF: Merchas Doski (Viktoria Plzen)
• DF: Frans Putros (Persib)
• DF: Hussein Ali (Pogon Szczecin)
• DF: Zaid Tahseen (Pakhtakor)
• DF: Akam Hashim (Al-Zawraa)
• DF: Ahmed Maknzi (Al-Karma)
• MF: Ibraham Bayesh (Al-Dhafra)
• MF: Amir Al-Ammari (Cracovia)
• MF: Ali Jasim (Al-Najma)
• MF: Youssef Amyn (AEK Larnaca)
• MF: Zidane Iqbal (Utrecht)
• MF: Hasan Abdulkareem (Al-Zawraa)
• MF: Marko Farji (Venezia)
• MF: Kevin Yakob (AGF)
• MF: Aimar Sher (Sarpsborg)
• MF: Peter Gwargis (Duhok)
• MF: Zaid Ismail (Al-Talaba)
• FW: Aymen Hussein (Al-Karma)
• FW: Mohanad Ali (Dibba)
• FW: Ali Al-Hamadi (Luton Town)
• FW: Ali Yousif (Al-Talaba)

Fixtures

• June 16, 2026: Iraq vs Norway, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States
• June 22, 2026: France vs Iraq, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, United States
• June 26, 2026: Senegal vs Iraq, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada

Recent Results

• March 31, 2026: Iraq 2-1 Bolivia, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
• November 18, 2025: Iraq 2-1 United Arab Emirates, Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq
• November 13, 2025: United Arab Emirates 1-1 Iraq, Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• October 14, 2025: Saudi Arabia 0-0 Iraq, King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• October 11, 2025: Iraq 1-0 Indonesia, King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• June 10, 2025: Jordan 0-1 Iraq, Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan
• June 5, 2025: Iraq 0-2 South Korea, Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq
• March 25, 2025: Palestine 2-1 Iraq, Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan
• March 20, 2025: Iraq 2-2 Kuwait, Basra International Stadium, Basra, Iraq

Manager

Who is Iraq's manager?

Graham Arnold knows the score. The former Australia forward started his coaching career in 1989 and took on his first international head coach role 20 years ago. That was the first of two spells in charge of the Australian national team, in between which he's lent his services to clubs in the A-League and the J.League in Japan.

In his second spell as manager of the Socceroos, Arnold steered Australia to the round of 16 at World Cup 2022. There, they were defeated by eventual winners Argentina in Al-Rayyan.

Arnold resigned 18 months ago after some disappointing results in World Cup qualifying. He was soon snapped up to lead Iraq to World Cup 2026. Talk about getting the job done.

Iraq's Star Player

Who is Iraq's star player?

While a handful of Iraq's players are playing regular football in some competitive leagues in Europe Mohanad Ali is becoming the headline act.

Ali is 25 years of age, and has collected 70 caps. His 27 goals leave him a long way behind legendary striker Hussein Saeed, but time and an increasingly busy international calendar are on his side in that regard.

The Baghdad-born striker had two long spells at the city's Al-Shorta club before a 2025 move to the United Arab Emirates and Dibba of Dibba Al-Fujairah, where he has scored six goals in his first 18 league appearances.

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