War, torture and dams: the incredible story of Iraq, which qualified for the 2026 World Cup after a 40-year wait

Iraq, the last country to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, ended a 40-year wait. Despite the war that has plagued the country for decades and the geopolitical context that made qualification extremely difficult, the Lions of Mesopotamia have achieved their feat.

A land of football, Iraq has nonetheless often been linked to its political situation. Making progress in the 1970s and 1980s, notably reaching the semi-finals of the Asian Cup in 1976 – for a long time their best performance in the competition – the Iraqis also won the Arab Cups in 1985 and 1988, as well as the Gulf Cups in 1979, 1984, and 1988. In 1986, the Lions of Mesopotamia even qualified for the World Cup in Mexico – their first-ever participation in the most prestigious tournament. However, their adventure was short-lived, ending with three defeats against Paraguay (0-1), Belgium (1-2), and Mexico (0-1).

A country scarred by war

However, the situation would become more complicated for nearly 20 years. Launched in 1980, the Iran-Iraq War lasted until 1988 and was followed by the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein's government in 1990. An international coalition led by the United States intervened until 1991, resulting in the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait. During this period, Iraq's geopolitical position was weakened, preventing it from participating in the 1988 and 1992 Asian Cups.

Quarter-finalists in 1996, 2000, and 2004, the Iraqis achieved some impressive performances despite the unfavorable circumstances. In 2003, the Iraq War broke out, leading to the fall of Saddam Hussein. This was a seismic event for the country, from which it has never fully recovered. For the national team, Saddam Hussein's regime was a symbol of torture in the truest sense of the word. The dictator's son, Uday Hussein, headed the Olympic Committee and the national football federation. And he did not tolerate defeat well.

The era of terror under Saddam Hussein

“Because we lost every tournament, the players started to develop an inferiority complex. Uday thought that by locking the players up and beating them, he would make them stronger, more vicious. After a loss against Bahrain in 2001, seven players went to jail. He beat several of them. They used cables to whip us. No, no, they didn’t use electric shocks. After a loss against Kazakhstan, he locked the whole team in a room with red walls and red lights to drive us crazy. After an hour, we were already going a little crazy,” Laith Hussein, a former midfielder (96 caps, 25 goals), revealed in a 2003 documentary for Journeyman Pictures.

The end of Saddam Hussein's reign marked a new beginning for the national team. Indeed, after a respectable showing at the 2004 Asian Cup, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals, Iraq achieved the remarkable feat of winning the 2007 edition. Topping their group ahead of Australia, Thailand, and Oman, the Iraqis then defeated Vietnam (2-0), South Korea (0-0, 4-3 on penalties), and Saudi Arabia (1-0). A truly remarkable achievement for Jorvan Vieira's team, led by the legendary Younis Mahmoud, who finished 29th in the 2007 Ballon d'Or rankings. This victory allowed Iraq to participate in the 2009 Confederations Cup, but they were eliminated in the group stage. Subsequently, Iraq remained a top force in Asia, though they failed to improve on their fourth-place finish at the 2015 Asian Cup and did not qualify for the World Cup. However, expanding the competition to 48 countries changed everything.

2026, Iraq's Incredible Odyssey

While Australia, Iran, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Japan secured the qualifying spots for the 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions, major Asian nations like Uzbekistan, Jordan, and Iraq often narrowly missed out. However, the expansion of the qualifying spots from 4.5 to 8.5 for Asia proved beneficial. With six wins in six matches during the second round, Iraq easily advanced to the third round. Drawn in Group B with South Korea, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait, the Iraqis ultimately failed to secure the top two spots that would have guaranteed direct qualification. Having spent much of the tournament in the top two, the Iraqis missed out on the second round with a draw against Kuwait (2-2) and defeats against Palestine (2-1) and South Korea (2-0), finishing just one point behind Jordan.

Drawn into the fourth round in a group with Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, Iraq won 1-0 against Indonesia and drew 0-0 against Saudi Arabia. This result wasn't enough, as Saudi Arabia advanced on goal difference with a 3-2 victory over Indonesia. Iraq then faced the United Arab Emirates in a second round of playoffs, which they won 2-1. This secured Iraq a third appearance in the intercontinental playoffs. On Tuesday night, Iraq faced Bolivia and won 2-1, thus qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. This marked the end of a 40-year wait after an arduous journey that saw them play 21 matches across five qualifying rounds. An elimination phase that lasted two and a half years since the Iraqis launched their qualifications on November 16, 2023.

Iraq could have chosen not to defend its chances

However, this beautiful story was nearly derailed by the geopolitical situation. This time, it wasn't the Iraqi government that was being challenged, but rather the conflict between the United States and Iran, Iraq's neighbor. With airspace blocked, coach Graham Arnold stranded in Qatar, and visa issues for some players and staff members, panic reigned in early March. FIFA even proposed a 25-hour road trip to Turkey for the Iraqi team to fly to Mexico. This absurdity was denounced by Graham Arnold, who called for the match to be postponed in an interview with the Australian Associated Press.

“A team composed solely of players based outside Iraq wouldn’t be our best team, and we need our strongest squad for the country’s most important match in 40 years. If FIFA were to postpone the match, it would give us time to prepare properly. Bolivia could play Suriname this month, and then, a week before the World Cup, we would play the winner in the United States. In my opinion, this would also give FIFA more time to decide its position regarding Iran. If Iran withdraws, we would participate in the World Cup, which would also give the United Arab Emirates, whom we beat in qualifying, the opportunity to prepare to face Bolivia or Suriname,” he explained. Ultimately, the situation was resolved, and Iraq secured this historic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

“With all the chaos currently reigning in the world, I felt a bit disoriented and couldn’t go and watch the players train. I was a little further away from them, but this week of preparation went very well. I have to commend them: they showed exceptional fighting spirit. They gave it their all, and 46 million people are proud of their team,” Graham Arnold told FIFA’s website after the match. In just over two months, the Iraqis will face Norway, France, and Senegal in prestigious matches. A well-deserved reward for a country and a people passionate about football, but where politics and current events have often overshadowed moments of joy. An entire nation can finally celebrate.