Iraq at the FIFA World Cup

Last updated
Pre-match display before Iraq's game against Norway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Iraq and Norway match 2026.jpg
Pre-match display before Iraq's game against Norway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Iraq appeared in the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 1986. They ended up in last place in their group with zero points, scoring one goal. [1]

Contents

Iraq qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the second time in 2026, again finishing in last place in their group with zero points and scoring one goal.

Both times they have qualified for a World Cup, Mexico was the host or co-host. [2]

Overall record

FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record
YearRoundPositionPldWDLGFGASquadPldWDLGFGA
Flag of Uruguay.svg 1930 to Flag of Brazil.svg 1950 Not a FIFA memberNot a FIFA member
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 1954 to Flag of Mexico.svg 1970 Did not enterDid not enter
Flag of Germany.svg 1974 Did not qualify6321116
Flag of Argentina.svg 1978 WithdrewWithdrew
Flag of Spain.svg 1982 Did not qualify430152
Flag of Mexico.svg 1986 Group stage23rd300314 Squad 85121411
Flag of Italy.svg 1990 Did not qualify6321115
Flag of the United States.svg 1994 137423713
Flag of France (lighter variant).svg 1998 4202148
Flag of South Korea (1997-2011).svgFlag of Japan.svg 2002 146353715
Flag of Germany.svg 2006 6321177
Flag of South Africa.svg 2010 8323116
Flag of Brazil.svg 2014 167362012
Flag of Russia.svg 2018 166552418
Flag of Qatar.svg 2022 186842016
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svgFlag of Mexico.svgFlag of the United States.svg 2026 Group stage48th3003112 Squad 2113533214
Flag of Morocco.svg Flag of Portugal (official).svg Flag of Spain.svg 2030 To be determinedTo be determined
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg 2034
TotalBest: Group stage2/196006216—140673736253133

By match

YearRoundOpponentsScoreIraq scorers
Flag of Mexico.svg 1986 Group B Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 0–1—
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 1–2 A. Radhi
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 0–1—
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Flag of Mexico.svg Flag of the United States.svg 2026 Group I Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1–4 A. Hussein
Flag of France.svg  France 0–3—
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 0–5—

Iraq at the 1986 FIFA World Cup

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 321042+25
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 312043+14
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 31115503
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg  Iraq 300314−30

Paraguay vs Iraq

This match caused controversy as the referee Edwin Picon-Ackong blew the whistle for half time a few seconds before Iraq striker Ahmed Radhi headed the ball into the goal, meaning that it did not count. [3]

Paraguay  Flag of Paraguay.svg1–0Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg  Iraq
Romerito Soccerball shade.svg35' Report
Estadio Nemesio Díez, Toluca
Attendance: 24,000
Referee: Edwin Picon-Ackong (Mauritius)
Flag of Paraguay.svg
PARAGUAY:
GK1 Roberto Fernández
DF2 Juan Torales
DF3 César Zabala
DF4 Vladimiro Schettina Yellow card.svg 45'
DF5 Rogelio Delgado (c)
MF6 Jorge Amado Nunes
MF10 Adolfino Cañete
MF8 Romerito
FW7 Buenaventura Ferreira
FW11 Alfredo Mendoza Sub off.svg 88'
FW9 Roberto Cabañas
Substitutions:
MF16 Jorge Guasch Sub on.svg 88'
Manager:
Flag of Paraguay.svg Cayetano Ré
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg
IRAQ:
GK1 Raad Hammoudi (c)
DF3 Khalil Allawi
DF4 Nadhim Shaker
DF5 Samir Shaker Yellow card.svg 29'
DF15 Natiq Hashim
DF22 Ghanim Oraibi
MF6 Ali Hussein Shihab
MF7 Haris Mohammed Sub off.svg 67'
MF14 Basil Gorgis Sub off.svg 81'
FW10 Hussein Saeed
FW8 Ahmed Radhi
Substitutions:
FW11 Rahim Hameed Sub on.svg 67'
MF19 Basim Qasim Sub on.svg 81'
Manager:
Flag of Brazil.svg Evaristo de Macedo

Iraq vs Belgium

In the 16th minute of the match Belgium took the lead when Enzo Scifo scored with a low shot to the left corner of the net from the right from just inside the penalty area. It was 2–0 in the 21st minute when Nico Claesen scored a penalty low to the left corner of the net. Iraq pulled a goal back in the 59th minute when Ahmed Radhi scored a low shot to the left corner of the net from the right but Belgium went on to win 2–1.

Iraq  Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg1–2Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium
Radhi Soccerball shade.svg59' Report Scifo Soccerball shade.svg16'
Claesen Soccerball shade.svg21' (pen.)
Estadio Nemesio Díez, Toluca
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Jesús Díaz (Colombia)
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg
IRAQ:
GK1 Raad Hammoudi (c)Yellow card.svg 20'
DF3 Khalil Allawi
DF4 Nadhim Shaker Yellow card.svg 29'
DF5 Samir Shaker Yellow card.svg 48'
DF15 Natiq Hashim Yellow card.svg 65'
DF22 Ghanim Oraibi
MF6 Ali Hussein Shihab
MF7 Haris Mohammed Yellow card.svg 42'
MF14 Basil Gorgis Yellow card.svgRed card.svg 52'
FW9 Karim Saddam Sub off.svg 81'
FW8 Ahmed Radhi
Substitutions:
FW11 Rahim Hameed Sub on.svg 81'
Manager:
Flag of Brazil.svg Evaristo de Macedo
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg
BELGIUM:
GK1 Jean-Marie Pfaff
DF2 Eric Gerets
DF3 Franky Van Der Elst
DF4 Michel De Wolf
MF21 Stéphane Demol Sub off.svg 69'
MF6 Franky Vercauteren
MF7 René Vandereycken
MF10 Philippe Desmet
MF8 Enzo Scifo Sub off.svg 67'
MF11 Jan Ceulemans (c)
FW16 Nico Claesen Yellow card.svg 16'
Substitutions:
DF14 Lei Clijsters Sub on.svg 67'
DF13 Georges Grün Sub on.svg 69'
Manager:
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Guy Thys

Iraq vs Mexico

Fernando Quirarte scored the only goal of the game with a shot from a very tight angle on the right that beat the goalkeeper at his near post.

Iraq  Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg0–1Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico
Report Quirarte Soccerball shade.svg54'
Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Attendance: 103,763
Referee: Zoran Petrović (Yugoslavia)
Flag of Iraq (1963-1991).svg
IRAQ:
GK20 Fatah Nasif
DF2 Maad Ibrahim
DF3 Khalil Allawi (c)Yellow card.svg 73'
DF4 Nadhim Shaker
DF15 Natiq Hashim Sub off.svg 60'
DF22 Ghanim Oraibi
MF6 Ali Hussein Shihab
MF17 Anad Abid Sub off.svg 70'
MF19 Basim Qasim
FW9 Karim Saddam Yellow card.svg 30'
FW8 Ahmed Radhi
Substitutions:
FW11 Rahim Hameed Sub on.svg 60'
MF16 Shaker Mahmoud Sub on.svg 70'
Manager:
Flag of Brazil.svg Evaristo de Macedo
Flag of Mexico.svg
MEXICO:
GK1 Pablo Larios
DF18 Rafael Amador Sub off.svg 62'
DF3 Fernando Quirarte
DF14 Félix Cruz
DF17 Raúl Servín
MF6 Carlos de los Cobos Sub off.svg 79'
MF7 Miguel España
MF10 Tomás Boy (c)
MF13 Javier Aguirre
FW22 Manuel Negrete
FW15 Luis Flores
Substitutions:
MF8 Alejandro Domínguez Sub on.svg 62'
FW5 Francisco Javier Cruz Sub on.svg 79'
Manager:
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Bora Milutinović

Iraq at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

TeamPldWDLGFGAGDPts
Flag of France.svg  France 3300102+89
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 320187+16
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 310286+23
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq 3003112−110

Iraq vs Norway

Iraq  Flag of Iraq.svg1–4Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Report
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Attendance: 63,106
Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
Flag of Iraq.svg
IRAQ:
GK12 Jalal Hassan (c)
RB3 Hussein Ali Sub off.svg 73'
CB4 Zaid Tahseen Yellow card.svg 86'
CB5 Akam Hashim
LB23 Merchas Doski
RM8 Ibrahim Bayesh Sub off.svg 78'
CM24 Zaid Ismail Sub off.svg 59'
CM16 Amir Al-Ammari
LM17 Ali Jasim Sub off.svg 73'
CF18 Aymen Hussein
CF9 Ali Al-Hamadi Sub off.svg 59'
Substitutions:
MF21 Marko Farji Sub on.svg 59'
MF14 Zidane Iqbal Sub on.svg 59'
DF25 Mustafa Saadoon Sub on.svg 73'
MF11 Ahmed Qasem Sub on.svg 73'
FW10 Mohanad Ali Sub on.svg 78'
Manager:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Arnold
Flag of Norway.svg
NORWAY:
GK1 Ørjan Nyland
RB26 Julian Ryerson
CB3 Kristoffer Ajer
CB17 Torbjørn Heggem
LB5 David Møller Wolfe Sub off.svg 73'
DM8 Sander Berge
CM10 Martin Ødegaard (c)Sub off.svg 81'
CM14 Fredrik Aursnes Sub off.svg 73'
RF7 Alexander Sørloth Sub off.svg 73'
CF9 Erling Haaland
LF20 Antonio Nusa Sub off.svg 73'
Substitutions:
DF4 Leo Østigård Sub on.svg 73'
MF18 Kristian Thorstvedt Sub on.svg 73'
MF21 Andreas Schjelderup Sub on.svg 73'
MF22 Oscar Bobb Sub on.svg 73'
MF6 Patrick Berg Sub on.svg 81'
Manager:
Flag of Norway.svg Ståle Solbakken

France vs Iraq

France  Flag of France.svg3–0Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq
Report
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
Attendance: 68,324
Referee: Drew Fischer (Canada)
Flag of France.svg
FRANCE:
GK16 Mike Maignan
RB5 Jules Koundé Sub off.svg 83'
CB4 Dayot Upamecano
CB17 William Saliba
LB3 Lucas Digne
CM6 Manu Koné
CM14 Adrien Rabiot
RW7 Ousmane Dembélé Sub off.svg 68'
AM11 Michael Olise Sub off.svg 68'
LW12 Bradley Barcola Sub off.svg 83'
CF10 Kylian Mbappé (c)Sub off.svg 90+1'
Substitutions:
FW20 Désiré Doué Sub on.svg 68'
MF24 Rayan Cherki Sub on.svg 68'
MF25 Maghnes Akliouche Sub on.svg 83'
DF2 Malo Gusto Sub on.svg 83'
FW9 Marcus Thuram Sub on.svg 90+1'
Manager:
Flag of France.svg Didier Deschamps
Flag of Iraq.svg
IRAQ:
GK22 Ahmed Basil
RB3 Hussein Ali
CB4 Zaid Tahseen Sub off.svg 60'
CB5 Akam Hashim
LB23 Merchas Doski
CM24 Zaid Ismail Sub off.svg 60'
CM16 Amir Al-Ammari Yellow card.svg 6'Sub off.svg 68'
RW11 Ahmed Qasem
AM14 Zidane Iqbal
LW8 Ibrahim Bayesh Sub off.svg 68'
CF18 Aymen Hussein (c)Sub off.svg 26'
Substitutions:
FW9 Ali Al-Hamadi Sub on.svg 26'
DF2 Rebin Sulaka Sub on.svg 60'
MF7 Youssef Amyn Sub on.svg 60'
MF20 Aimar Sher Sub on.svg 68'
MF21 Marko Farji Sub on.svg 68'
Manager:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Arnold

Senegal vs Iraq

Senegal  Flag of Senegal.svg5–0Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq
Report
BMO Field, Toronto
Attendance: 43,036
Referee: Anthony Taylor (England)
Flag of Senegal.svg
SENEGAL:
GK23 Mory Diaw
RB15 Krépin Diatta
CB4 Abdoulaye Seck Yellow card.svg 18'Sub off.svg 58'
CB19 Moussa Niakhaté
LB14 Ismail Jakobs
DM5 Idrissa Gueye (c)
CM21 Habib Diarra Sub off.svg 56'
CM8 Lamine Camara Sub off.svg 56'
RF20 Ibrahim Mbaye Sub off.svg 56'
CF18 Ismaïla Sarr Sub off.svg 81'
LF10 Sadio Mané
Substitutions:
FW11 Nicolas Jackson Sub on.svg 56'
FW13 Iliman Ndiaye Sub on.svg 56'
MF26 Pape Gueye Yellow card.svg 81'Sub on.svg 56'
MF6 Pathé Ciss Sub on.svg 58'
FW7 Assane Diao Sub on.svg 81'
Manager:
Flag of Senegal.svg Pape Thiaw
Flag of Iraq.svg
IRAQ:
GK22 Ahmed Basil Sub off.svg 46'
RB26 Frans Putros
CB2 Rebin Sulaka Red card.svg 13'
CB5 Akam Hashim
LB23 Merchas Doski Yellow card.svg 90'
RM11 Ahmed Qasem Sub off.svg 16'
CM14 Zidane Iqbal Sub off.svg 67'
CM16 Amir Al-Ammari Yellow card.svg 75'
LM8 Ibrahim Bayesh (c)
CF9 Ali Al-Hamadi Sub off.svg 57'
CF17 Ali Jasim Sub off.svg 57'
Substitutions:
DF6 Manaf Younis Sub on.svg 16'
GK12 Jalal Hassan Sub on.svg 46'
DF15 Ahmed Maknzi Sub on.svg 57'
FW13 Ali Yousif Sub on.svg 57'
MF19 Kevin Yakob Sub on.svg 67'
Manager:
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Arnold

Player records

Most appearances

Seven players were fielded in all three of Iraq's matches in 1986. Khalil Allawi, Ghanim Oraibi, Ahmed Radhi, Nadhim Shaker and Ali Hussein Shihab played every single minute. Rahim Hameed came on as a substitute in each match, replacing fellow record holder Natiq Hashim in the last match.

Seven players were fielded in all three of Iraq's matches in 2026. Merchas Doski and Akam Hashim played every single minute. Amir Al-Ammari and Ibrahim Bayesh started all three matches, while Ali Al-Hamadi, Zidane Iqbal and Ahmed Qasem each started two matches and made one substitute appearance.

PlayerMatches 1986 2026
Amir Al-Ammari 303
Ali Al-Hamadi 303
Khalil Allawi 330
Ibrahim Bayesh 303
Merchas Doski 303
Rahim Hameed 330
Akam Hashim 303
Natiq Hashim 330
Zidane Iqbal 303
Ghanim Oraibi 330
Ahmed Qasem 303
Ahmed Radhi 330
Nadhim Shaker 330
Ali Hussein Shihab 330

Goalscorers

Iraq has scored a total of two goals at the FIFA World Cup. The first was scored by Ahmed Radhi against Belgium in 1986, and the second was scored by Aymen Hussein against Norway in 2026. [4] [5]

PlayerGoals 1986 2026
Ahmed Radhi 110
Aymen Hussein 101
Total211

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Iraqi football legend Radhi dies from COVID-19". Arab News. June 21, 2020.
  2. ↑ Luckings, Steve (1 April 2026). "Iraq beat Bolivia to qualify for 2026 Fifa World Cup". The National News.
  3. ↑ LinguaSport - 1986 World Cup
  4. ↑ "Asian Icons: Ahmed Radhi (Iraq)". AFC.
  5. ↑ "Iraqi football legend Ahmad Radhi dies after battling COVID-19". Al Jazeera.

Reports

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