Iraq and the World Cup dream: a nation's playoff path to 2026 is revealed
Iraq has qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals only once in its history, a cherished memory for generations of fans. In 1986, the national team traveled to Mexico, where they competed bravely in a tough group against hosts Mexico, Belgium, and Paraguay.
Though they did not advance, the team left an indelible mark. After narrow 1-0 losses to Paraguay and Mexico, Iraq scored its first and only World Cup finals goal when the legendary Ahmed Radhi found the net against a strong Belgian side in a 2-1 defeat. That moment remains a pinnacle of Iraqi football history, a symbol of pride that fans long to see repeated.
To return to the global stage, Iraq must first navigate the AFC Playoff (Fourth Round). The draw for this crucial stage will be held on July 17th.
The six Asian teams that finished third in their respective groups have been seeded into three pots for this draw:
Pot 1 (Hosts): Qatar, Saudi Arabia
Pot 2: Iraq, UAE
Pot 3: Oman, Indonesia
These teams will be drawn into two groups of three (Group A and Group B), with each group hosted by either Qatar or Saudi Arabia. As a Pot 2 team, Iraq knows it will face one host nation (either Qatar or Saudi Arabia) and one other nation (either Oman or Indonesia).
The format is a high-stakes, single round-robin tournament held in October 2025. Iraq's two decisive matches are scheduled for October 11th (against the Pot 3 team) and October 14th (against the Pot 1 host).
The stakes in these two October matches are immense, as they offer two distinct paths forward:
Direct Qualification: The winner of each of the two playoff groups (the team that finishes 1st in Group A and 1st in Group B) will qualify directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This is the primary goal for Iraq. The Final Chance: The runners-up of each group (the teams that finish 2nd) will have one last lifeline. They will play each other in a Fifth Round single match. The winner of that match will advance to the Inter-Confederation Playoff, where they will face teams from other continents (like CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, or OFC) for one of the very last spots in the World Cup.
The journey is complex and demanding, but the path is clear. For Iraq, the dream of a second World Cup appearance hinges on two critical games this October. The nation watches with hope, ready to cheer on the Lions of Mesopotamia as they fight to make history once again.
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