'We will surprise the world,' says Iraq coach after FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification

Monterrey, March 1 (IANS) Head coach Graham Arnold has exuded confidence in Iraq's football team, stating that his side will look to surprise the world after they qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a thrilling 2-1 win against Bolivia in the final match of the qualifiers played at the Monterrey Stadium on Wednesday. 

The qualification marks a significant milestone for Iraq, which will be making only their second appearance at the World Cup and their first since the 1986 FIFA World Cup. In their previous outing, they exited in the group stage after suffering three defeats.

Iraq has been placed in a tough Group I in the World Cup, where they will face 2022 World Cup runner-ups France, along with Senegal and Norway, in the group stage.

Reflecting on the draw, Arnold pointed to his previous experience against France during his time with Australia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. “Before thinking about facing France, I must mention that I faced them previously with the Australian national team at the 2022 World Cup, and we lost 4-1, but we used that experience as motivation to beat Tunisia and Denmark and qualify for the round of 16,” he said after the match, as quoted by Goal.com.

The coach emphasised that Iraq will approach the tournament without pressure. “As the Iraqi national team, we have nothing to lose. We must go into the World Cup with a winning mentality; that is the only way to achieve success,” he added.

Arnold also underlined the excitement of facing top players on the world stage.

“Being on the same pitch as players like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland is a great honour for our players, and we will respect their abilities, but we will take to the pitch to try and win and surprise the world,” he said.

He concluded by highlighting the significance of the achievement for Iraqi football.

“Qualifying for the World Cup is a great privilege for all the players, who will enjoy playing against some of the biggest names in world football. We will try to give our best to delight our fans and showcase Iraqi football on the world stage,” Arnold said.

Iraq will begin their campaign in the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 16 against Norway at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. They will then face France on June 22 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Iraq will conclude their group-stage fixtures against Senegal on June 26 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario.

--IANS

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