Iraq have ended a 40-year wait for a FIFA World Cup appearance, defeating Bolivia 2-1 in the second final of the intercontinental playoffs in Mexico, but the win marks the first time since 1986 that the country will compete in the global tournament.

Goals from Ali al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein

Goals from Ali al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein secured Iraq’s victory over Bolivia in the Monterrey Stadium in Guadalupe on Tuesday, and the match was part of the final stage of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, with Iraq becoming the 48th team to qualify for the tournament.

Ali al-Hamadi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, giving Iraq an early lead. However, Bolivia’s Moises Paniagua equalized just 28 minutes later, making the game highly competitive in one of the cohost nations of the World Cup.

The deadlock was broken shortly after halftime when Aymen Hussein scored the match-winning goal in the 53rd minute. His goal came from a cross by Marko Farji, which he slotted into the net from close range.

Challenges Before the Match

Iraq’s qualification was in doubt due to travel chaos caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Weeks before the match, Iraq’s coach Graham Arnold had pleaded with organizers to delay the game to allow the squad time to assemble and train.

The players and coaching staff arrived in Mexico just a week before the match, traveling on a charter flight and beginning preparations in the host city. Despite the challenges, the team managed to secure a important victory.

Arnold praised his players’ performance, stating, ‘I must congratulate the players who played with real Iraqi mentality, fighting and putting their bodies on the line and that’s why we won the game.’ He also noted the importance of the win given the current situation in the Middle East.

Arnold also commended Bolivia for their performance, saying, ‘You’ve got to give full credit to Bolivia, because they played well. And it was just through the great defending from our players, who put their bodies on the line, as I said, and we defended the crosses really well. That’s why we won the game.’

Challenging Group Ahead

Iraq will face one of the toughest groups at the World Cup, with opponents France, Norway, and Senegal. Their first match will be against Norway on June 16 in Boston, followed by a game against France on June 22 in Philadelphia, and a final group match against Senegal in Toronto, Canada, four days later.

Iraq and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were the two seeded teams at the playoff tournament and directly qualified for the finals. Both teams lived up to their reputations by winning their respective matches that decided the final two participants of the 48-team tournament.

The DRC defeated Jamaica 1-0 in an earlier fixture. Bolivia had to first get past Suriname in Monterrey on Thursday, while Jamaica overcame New Caledonia to secure their place in the final.

Iraq’s only previous World Cup appearance was in Mexico in 1986, where they lost all three group games. Now, they will be looking to make history and make their mark on the global stage in 2026.