Arnold eager to steer Iraq to 2026 FIFA World Cup

Arab News

10-05-2025

BAGHDAD: Graham Arnold is confident he can help Iraq qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time in 40 years after he was appointed as the country's national coach on Friday.
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Asked whether Iraq can make the cut for the 2026 tournament which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the Australian told the federation's website: "That's my goal.
Graham Arnold conducted his first interview as Iraq Head Coach in Baghdad this afternoon.
Read what our new boss had to say below
— Iraq National Team (@IraqNT_EN) May 10, 2025
'That's what I want to do. I haven't come here to not be successful, and everyone in this room has to believe that. We can do it.
Iraq's only appearance at the tournament was in 1986, when they were eliminated after the group phase.
Arnold replaced Spaniard Jesus Casas whose contract was terminated by the local soccer governing body in the wake of a 2-1 loss to Palestine in March.
That result left the Iraqis in third place in the standings in Group B, four points adrift of leaders South Korea and one behind Jordan with two games left.
The top two nations in each of Asia's three qualifying groups advance automatically for the World Cup while the teams in third and fourth progress to another round of preliminaries.
'What is important is we all believe we can win the next two games, that is my first objective for Iraq,' he said.
Arnold's first game in charge will be against South Korea in Basra on June 5. They then face Jordan in Amman five days later.