World Cup

Iraq

Competition: Coupe du Monde | Active season: 2026

IRQ Group I

Friendly

Spain vs Iraq

04 Jun 2026 · 21:00

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Group STAGE · Group

Iraq vs Norway

17 Jun 2026 · 00:00

Upcoming matches

Group STAGE · Group

France vs Iraq

22 Jun 2026 · 23:00

Upcoming matches

Group STAGE · Group

Senegal vs Iraq

26 Jun 2026 · 21:00

Upcoming matches

Footlab Data

Iraq National Football Team - 2026 World Cup Profile & Analysis

FIFA ranking #57 FIFA points · 1 447,14

Footlab Elo 1 554 Footlab rank · #32

Season: 2026

Group I

Group standings

Group I

#	Team	MJ	G	N	P	Diff	Pts
1	France	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Senegal	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Norway	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Iraq	0	0	0	0	0	0

Footlab Data

Statistiques détaillées

Tous les matchs Amicaux Tournois majeurs Qualifications Ligue des Nations

Matchs joués 35

Victoires 51,4%

Buts marqués / match 1,34

Buts encaissés / match 0,91

Clean sheets 45,7%

Les deux marquent 40,0%

+2.5 buts 40,0%

Points / match 1,80

Forme (5 matchs) W W D D W

Couverture stats avancées 51,4%

Forme (10 matchs) W W D D W W L L D W

Footlab Data

Footlab profile

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Footlab Data

Iraq National Football Team - 2026 World Cup Profile & Analysis

11 Apr 2026

Iraq World Cup 2026: Data Analysis, Strengths, and Projection

Iraq makes a historic return to the global stage, forty years after their one and only appearance in Mexico (1986). Qualified directly through the AFC 3rd round, the Lions of Mesopotamia showcase a "Physical Resilience and Verticality" profile. This is a team that compensates for its gaps in pure possession with superior combat intensity and a defensive organization capable of frustrating the most creative nations.

Global Positioning

Iraq is positioned as the most unpredictable outsider of the AFC zone. They are the tournament's "commando" team: relying on a compact team block and a steel mindset to turn every match into a battle of physical attrition.

Status: Combat Outsider / Historic Returnee
Projection: Group Stage (Objective: Historic first point)
Risk: Difficulty building play against organized low blocks

Footlab Profile

Criteria	Level
Attacking Potential	Medium (Transitions)
Defensive Stability	High (Discipline)
Game Control	Low (Pragmatism)
Consistency	Improving
Physical Impact	Very High

Structural Strengths

Collective Defensive Solidity: A remarkable organization that proved its worth during qualifiers, conceding very few goals through rigorous discipline.
Set-Piece Efficiency: Aerial play is a major weapon, both offensively and defensively, supported by imposing physical profiles.
Fighting Spirit: Exceptional mental resilience that keeps the team in the match even under prolonged opposition dominance.
Rapid Transitions: Ability to explode forward immediately upon winning the ball to punish opposition positioning errors.

Structural Weaknesses

Ball Retention: Chronic difficulties in maintaining sterile possession under pressure from technical European or South American sides.
Offensive Creativity: Lack of creative solutions in positional play when the opponent refuses to commit and closes down space.
Highest Level Inexperience: A massive qualitative jump between Asian qualifying and the intensity of a World Cup after 40 years away.
Squad Depth: A marked dependency on key players, making the balance fragile in case of injuries or suspensions.

Tactical Brief

Iraq typically operates within a highly structured 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2:

Offensive Phase: Direct play, wing utilization, and systematic search for efficiency on set-pieces.
Defensive Phase: Compact mid-to-low block, selective pressing, and maximum reduction of axial gaps.
Identity: "Pragmatic" football prioritizing the destruction of the opponent's game before creation.

Match Typology

Vs Weaker Teams: A battle of patience where Iraq seeks a breakthrough via physical dominance.
Vs Similar Teams: Intense duels with few clear chances (Under goals profile).
Vs Top Tier Teams: Formidable "Brick Wall" profile; capable of holding a heroic 0-0 and stinging on a lethal counter.

2026 Key Performance Factors

Iraq's success will primarily depend on:

their ability to maintain a goals-conceded ratio below one per match
the clinical edge of their strikers on rare transition opportunities
managing the emotions of a historic return awaited by an entire nation

Footlab Projection

Iraq possesses a Round of 16 ceiling. Their solidity and commitment make them the most disliked opponent for top seeds in the group stage, as they leave no room for spectacle.

Projection: Group Stage (Challenger for qualification)
Optimal Scenario: A historic first round by securing a surprise victory through maximum clinical efficiency.

Betting Insights

✔️ High potential in "Under 2.5 Goals" markets
✔️ Interesting for "Aerial Duels Won" markets
⚠️ Risk in straight win odds (matches often result in draws)
✔️ Value in "Header Goals" (strength on set-pieces)

Conclusion

Iraq is a team of duty. Between tactical discipline and physical courage, the Lions of Mesopotamia are armed to turn their global return into a true test of strength for their opponents in 2026.

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The World Cup Pass opens match analysis, the comparator, the Expert Match Center and the dedicated dashboard to follow Iraq throughout the World Cup.

Analytical tournament tracking with a simulated starting capital of EUR 100.
Access to groups, results and bracket as soon as they are available.
Comparator and dedicated modules reserved for pass holders.

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International history

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01 Apr 2026 · 05:00

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18 Nov 2025 · 17:00