Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 in the second intercontinental play-off final in Mexico on Wednesday to seal the last available place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It will be Iraq’s first appearance in the finals in 40 years.
The war-torn nation, whose preparations have been suspended due to ongoing tensions in the region, secured victory after goals from Ali Al Hamadi and Aymen Hussein. Coincidentally, Iraq first appeared before the 2026 qualifiers in 1986, the last time the tournament was held in Mexico.
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The West Asian nation took an early lead when Amir Al Ammari picked out Al Hamadi from a corner, who nodded past the keeper.
Bolivia pulled one back in the 38th minute after Moises Paniagua found himself unmarked in the box, only to fire past Ahmed Basil. However, it was early in the second half when Hussein first met Mark Farji’s delivery to direct it into the net.
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Following their victory, head coach Graham Arnold was hoisted onto the shoulders of his players and walked around the pitch draped in an Iraqi flag to celebrate their remarkable achievement.
“I have to thank the players a lot,” he said via FIFA+. “Their work ethic, they showed the real Iraqi mentality of fighting and putting their bodies on the line, that’s why we won the game.”
Arnold became the first Australian coach to lead a foreign nation to the men’s FIFA World Cup.
“A very difficult match. Big credit to Bolivia, they played well. Only thanks to the great defending of our players, we defended the crosses really well. That’s why we won the match,” he added.
Iraq are placed in Group I of the tournament alongside 2018 champions France, disputed AFCON champions Senegal and Norway. Their first match will be against Norway at Boston Stadium, Foxborough on 16 June 2026.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
01 April 2026 14:45 IST
