Shadowed by War, Iraq Ends 40-Year Wait for World Cup

MONTERREY, WEDNESDAY - After 40 years of waiting, Iraq will finally appear in the most prestigious football championship, the FIFA World Cup. Interestingly, this achievement comes amid various difficulties and the looming shadows of war in the Middle East.

Iraq became the 48th and final team to secure a place in the 2026 World Cup Americas after defeating Bolivia 2-1 in the final of the 2026 World Cup intercontinental qualifying playoff at the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe, Mexico, on Wednesday (April 1, 2026) Indonesian time. Iraq's victory was sealed by its star striker, Aymen Hussein, with a goal in the 53rd minute.

This achievement also marked the climax of their winding journey in the 2026 World Cup qualification. They had played a total of 19 matches throughout the Asian zone qualification before finally meeting Bolivia, the South American representative, in the intercontinental playoff.

Having briefly topped the group in the second round, Iraq stumbled in the subsequent round. They failed to qualify directly for the main stage of the 2026 World Cup, finishing only third behind South Korea and Jordan in the third round.

In the fourth round, drawn alongside Indonesia in Group B, Iraq could only finish as runners-up to host Saudi Arabia, who then secured a ticket to the Americas. They were then forced to take an additional route, the fifth round, to a home-and-away playoff against the United Arab Emirates.

It is not surprising that after defeating Bolivia in their 20th match of Iraq's qualification for the 2026 World Cup, the players and staff of the team nicknamed the "Lions of Mesopotamia" were overjoyed. They have made history. For the first time in four decades and after passing through at least two generations, they have returned to the grand stage. The last and only time they appeared in the World Cup was in 1986 in Mexico.

"We played without pressure, trying to surprise the world with our results and crazy performance. It feels amazing that we were able to advance," said Iraq's coach Graham Arnold after the match attended by 49,286 spectators at the stadium.

Arnold appreciated the fighting spirit of his players in that match. The Iraqi players, a team that has defeated Indonesia three times in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, did not panic and displayed a never-give-up attitude when Bolivia equalized to 1-1 in the 38th minute through a goal by Moises Paniagua. Previously, Iraq had taken an early lead with a goal from Ali Al-Hamadi in the 10th minute.

Thank you, God, we made it (to the World Cup). We have been waiting for this for 24 years. Some of us were even not born when we last qualified. Others were too young to remember it. - Kerem Akturkoglu (Turkey)

After the break, Hussein seized the ball from a cross by Marko Farji. His close-range shot rattled the net of Bolivia and propelled Iraq into joy.

"I appreciate the players who performed with the spirit of Iraq, daring to fight and continuously risking everything. That is what made us win. I am very happy that we have brought joy to 46 million citizens (of Iraq), especially considering the current situation (of war) in the Middle East," Arnold stated.

Iraq's determination was evident throughout their journey to America. Besides the long and winding road, they were also faced with uncertainty. Iraq was threatened with being unable to participate in the intercontinental playoffs to be held in Mexico, one of the 2026 World Cup host countries.

The reason is the situation in the Middle East, which is currently tumultuous due to the attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran. The war that has been ongoing for the past month has created a tense situation in the Middle East, including Iraq. The mobility of residents and transportation in the region has been disrupted. Iran has even attacked several locations that serve as US bases in Iraq multiple times.

The Iraqi team was also unable to fly commercially to Mexico due to air traffic restrictions following Iran's frequent drone attacks on neighboring countries. They even asked FIFA to postpone the playoffs.

The reason for the postponement was strengthened by the issue of visas for the players. Mexico does not have an embassy or representation in Iraq, making the issuance of visas to that country a separate problem. However, this issue was eventually resolved after the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated the visa issuance through the embassy in a neighboring region of Iraq.

"The situation in the Middle East complicates things for us. However, the main issue, as I mentioned, is the mentality. I am working hard on that. I even prohibit the players from accessing social media while they are here (in Mexico). I do not want them to be distracted by what is happening in the Middle East and to focus on their work," Arnold stated subsequently.

After a difficult qualification process, Iraq's journey in the main stage of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will not be any easier. Iraq will face two of the world's best strikers, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, in the Group I qualifiers. They are grouped together with France, Norway, and Senegal in that group.

Türkiye's Wait

Besides Iraq, another European team, Turkey, also ended its long wait to return to the World Cup. Turkey qualified for the main draw for the World Cup for the first time in 24 years after defeating Kosovo 1-0 in a European qualifying playoff match on Wednesday (April 1) early morning WIB. Kerem Akturkoglu scored the winning goal in the 53rd minute.

This achievement underscores Turkey's resurgence alongside their new golden generation, which includes players such as Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Arda Gueler (Real Madrid), and Hakan Çalhanoglu (Inter Milan). The last time they participated in the World Cup was in 2002 in Japan-South Korea. At that time, Turkey, bolstered by Hakan Sukur and Okan Buruk, advanced to the semifinals. They were defeated by Brazil, who ultimately became the champions at that time.

"Thank you, God, we made it (to the World Cup). We have been waiting for this for 24 years. Some of us weren't even born the last time we qualified. Others were too young to remember it. We have always dreamed of this moment," said Akturkoglu. (Reuters/AP)