Boston, June 15: Iraq will make their long-awaited return to the FIFA World Cup when they take on Norway in their Group I opener at Boston Stadium on Wednesday.
With France and Senegal having already faced off a day earlier, both Iraq and Norway know that a positive start is crucial in a highly competitive group, where falling behind early could prove costly.
For Iraq, reaching the 2026 World Cup has been a remarkable journey. Their qualification campaign was thrown into uncertainty after a defeat to Palestine in March 2025 led to the dismissal of Spanish coach Jesus Casas.Australian manager Graham Arnold was brought in two months later and inherited a side in danger of missing out on the tournament. However, Arnold successfully guided Iraq through the latter stages of the Asian qualifiers and eventually through the inter-confederation playoffs.A hard-fought 2-1 victory over Bolivia in March secured Iraq’s place at the World Cup, marking only the second appearance in the nation’s history and their first since 1986.Iraq’s only previous World Cup campaign ended without a point, as they suffered defeats against Paraguay, Belgium and hosts Mexico, scoring just once during the tournament. (Agencies)
