Iraq — World Cup 2026 Predictions & Squad Analysis

FIFA Ranking: #57 · Manager: Graham Arnold
Style: Graham Arnold, appointed in May 2025, is known for his emphasis on strong work ethic, fighting spirit, and defensive solidity, as demonstrated during his successful tenure with the Australian national team, leading them to the Round of 16 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He aims to instill pride and leverage the inherent strength of the Iraqi football team.

Group I

#57

FIFA Ranking

5%

Advance

0%

Win Tournament

Group Stage

AI Predicted Finish

AI TOURNAMENT PREDICTION — IRAQ

Group

R32

R16

QF

SF

Final

🏆

Win Group

95%

Round of 32

0%

Round of 16

0%

Quarter-Final

0%

Semi-Final

0%

Final

0%

Win Tournament

0%

Iraq returns to the FIFA World Cup stage for only the second time in their history, forty years after their debut in 1986. Under the guidance of experienced coach Graham Arnold, the Lions of Mesopotamia will aim to showcase their renowned fighting spirit and integrate their promising young talents. Placed in a formidable Group I alongside powerhouses France, Senegal, and Norway, advancing to the knockout stages will be an immense challenge, but Iraq will look to surprise with their resilience and attacking flair.

Iraq in Group I

Date	Opponent	AI Pick	Score Pred.	Conf.
Tue, June 23, 2026	France	Iraq Loss	0-3	90%
Fri, June 26, 2026	Senegal	Iraq Loss	0-2	80%
Wed, June 17, 2026	Norway	Iraq Draw	1-1	60%

Full Group I predictions →

Iraq Squad — Key Players

ATTACK

Ali Al Hamadi

Attacker

15

2025/26 Season Goals

Aymen Hussein

Attacker

12

2025/26 Season Goals

Hasan Abdulkareem

Attacker

70

2025/26 Season Dribbles Completed

MIDFIELD

Zidane Iqbal

Midfielder

8

2025/26 Season Assists

Youssef Amyn

Midfielder

50

2025/26 Season Key Passes

Amir Al Ammari

Midfielder

88%

2025/26 Season Pass Accuracy

Ibraheem Bayesh

Midfielder

6

2025/26 Season Goals

DEFENSE & GK

Fahad Talib

Goalkeeper

10

2025/26 Season Clean Sheets

Hussein Ali

Defender

65

2025/26 Season Tackles Won

Merchas Doski

Defender

70

2025/26 Season Interceptions

Rebin Solaka

Defender

40

2025/26 Season Blocks

✅ STRENGTHS

Resilient team spirit and fighting mentality, often performing well as underdogs.
Emerging young talents like Zidane Iqbal and Youssef Amyn bring energy and skill to midfield.
Strong attacking options with goal-scorers like Ali Al Hamadi and Aymen Hussein.
Recent successful qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup demonstrates capability under pressure.

⚠️ WEAKNESSES

Lack of extensive experience against top-tier European and African opposition.
Potential defensive vulnerabilities against highly technical and fast attackers.
Squad depth might be tested in a demanding tournament format.
Significant gap in FIFA ranking compared to group favorites France and Senegal.

Iraq — Betting Markets

Market	AI Prob.	Odds	Implied	Value?
Win World Cup	0%	1000	0%	—
Qualify from Group I	5%	15	6%	—

Iraq vs Likely Opponents

Iraq — World Cup History

Year	Host	Result	Key Moment
1986	Mexico	Group Stage	First-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, scored one goal against Belgium.
2007	Indonesia/Malaysia/Thailand/Vietnam	Champions	Against all odds, Iraq won their first AFC Asian Cup title, uniting a nation amidst difficult conditions.
2009	South Africa	Group Stage (Confederations Cup)	Participated in the FIFA Confederations Cup as Asian Champions, earning two points in the group stage.
2015	Australia	Fourth Place (Asian Cup)	Reached the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup, losing to South Korea.