Iraq National Team Advances to the Intercontinental Playoff for the 2026 World Cup

Iraq’s national team continues its journey toward its first World Cup in 40 years. The team has reached the intercontinental playoff of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after defeating the UAE in the final of the Asian playoff.

The second leg turned out dramatic: Iraq beat the UAE 2–1, with the decisive goal scored from a penalty in the 17th minute of stoppage time. The first match had ended 1–1, and with an aggregate score of 3–2, Iraq came out on top.

Iraq’s Long Road to the 2026 World Cup Playoffs

Iraq passed through three stages of Asian qualification:

Second round: 1st place in a group with Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Third round: 3rd place in the group. Iraq finished above Oman, Palestine, and Kuwait, losing only to South Korea and Jordan.

Playoff: Victory over the UAE across two legs.

What’s Next?

Iraq will now play in the intercontinental playoff, where its potential opponents include:

• DR Congo
• New Caledonia
• Bolivia
• And two teams from North America, to be determined tomorrow.

The playoff matches will be held in March 2026 in Mexico, at stadiums that will also host World Cup games. The World Cup will begin in the summer of 2026 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Two teams from the intercontinental playoff will qualify for the tournament.

Iraq’s last and only World Cup appearance was in 1986, when Mexico also hosted the tournament. Now the “Lions of Mesopotamia” have a real chance to return to the world stage.