Iraq overcame significant logistical challenges on Tuesday to become the 48th and final team to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Bolivia in an intercontinental playoff, ending a four-decade wait to return to the sport's premier event. Ali Almahadi opened the scoring in the 18th minute, Moises Paniagua equalized for Bolivia in the 38th, and Aymen Hussein scored the decisive goal in the 53rd. The Iraqi team will join Group I alongside France, Norway, and Senegal.
"We have nothing to lose; let's try to surprise the world with a crazy result and performance," said Iraq's coach, Graham Arnold. "It's great that we have qualified. It's a privilege for us.
" Arnold, who managed Australia in the 2022 World Cup, noted that he didn't believe his Iraqi players had faced figures like France's star Kylian Mbappe or Norway's Erling Haaland. "It will be an honor. We respect those players and what they do, but we will try to win.
" Iraq's return to the World Cup Iraq will return to the global tournament for the first time since Mexico 1986. The Iraqi campaign begins on Tuesday, June 16, against Norway in Foxborough, followed by matches against France on June 22 in Philadelphia and Senegal on June 26 in Toronto. Bolivia, which reached the final playoff with a victory over Suriname, was seeking to qualify for its second World Cup.
Its only participation in history dates back to 1994 in the United States. "What remains is pain and frustration; we fe…
" The match was played in front of 49,286 fans at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey, one of three host cities in Mexico for the World Cup. Earlier this month, Iraq faced uncertainty about whether it could play in the playoff. The war in Iran caused Iraqi players to be stranded as their country's airspace was closed, preventing the team from using commercial flights to leave.
Team officials officially requested FIFA to postpone the playoff match. "Everything happening in the Middle East made it a bit more difficult, but the main thing I said, and what I worked very hard on, was their mentality," Graham recounted. "I banned social media from the day we arrived here.
I didn't want them thinking about what was happening in the Middle East because they had to focus on the work we had here. " The team also faced visa complications because Mexico does not have an embassy in Iraq. However, the issue was resolved when Mexico's Foreign Relations Secretariat facilitated visas at other regional embassies.
The team finally arrived in Monterrey on March 21 after a 25-hour journey that included navigating travel restrictions and a layover in Portugal. Congo advances With a goal in extra time, the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Jamaica 1-0 and secured its spot earlier. Axel Tuanzebe scored the goal following a corner kick in the 100th minute.
Jamaican defenders failed to clear the ball, which reached the center of the area, where the Burnley defender simply pushed it into the net. Video review was required to validate the goal. The footage ruled out that the ball had hit Tuanzebe's hand.
Congo has never participated in a World Cup by that name, although it took part in the 1974 edition in Germany as Zaire. Thanks to its victory in the final intercontinental playoff at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, the Congolese team completed Group K of the World Cup, where it will face Colombia, Portugal, and Uzbekistan. "We are going to enjoy this qualification, but we have to keep working.
We know we will be facing the best teams that compete in the World Cup every four years," said Congolese captain Chancel Mbemba. "We will remain humble, with our feet on the ground and working. We will give everything to make our supporters and our people proud.
" The Reggae Boyz missed out on what would have been their second World Cup in history. They have only participated once in the top football tournament, in France 1998. Congo appeared to take the lead twice during regular time.
In the 4th minute, a goal by Nathanael Mbuku was disallowed, and in the 85th, a goal by Samuel Moutossamy was also ruled out for offside, both times. The rest of the match was played with little goal-scoring action from two teams focused on defending.