The last international break before the big world deadline has delivered its verdict. A few months before the 2026 World Cup organized in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the selections played their final preparation meetings in order to settle the last details. For the favorites and the outsiders alike, this international window represented the ideal opportunity to refine automation, test new systems and give playing time to certain players before the summer. The intensity of the meetings and the commitment observed on the pitches served as a reminder that the global meeting was fast approaching.
The French team took advantage of this period to send a clear message to the competition. The Blues impressed by successively dominating Brazil then Colombia in two prestigious matches on American soil which confirmed their excellent form. Beyond the results, the French coach, Didier Deschamps, was especially able to observe an attractive and already very competitive team. However, another issue animated the French staff during this truce. The Blues were waiting to know the identity of their last opponent in the group stage, which already included Senegal and Norway. The last ticket was to be awarded during the intercontinental play-off between Iraq and Bolivia.
Iraq’s feat
This play-off final played in Mexico kept all its promises. The meeting between Iraq and Bolivia quickly turned into an intense and indecisive scenario. The Lions of Mesopotamia struck first thanks to Ali Al Hamadi, opportunistic to cut a corner at the near post after ten minutes of play. Bolivia, however, reacted before the break with the equalizer of Miguel Paniagua, well placed to conclude an action initiated by Ramiro Vaca. Returning from the locker room, Iraq regained the advantage thanks to Aymen Hussein who perfectly took a tense cross to deceive Guillermo Viscarra. Despite a tense end to the match and several Bolivian situations, goalkeeper Ahmed Basil made several decisive interventions to preserve the Iraqi advantage.
This success (2-1) gives Iraq a historic qualification for the World Cup. Nearly 40 years after its only appearance during the 1986 World Cup, the Asian selection finally returns to the biggest stage of world football. This qualification rewards a solid performance in the Asian zone where the team has gradually gained maturity and confidence. Supported by an ambitious generation and a disciplined collective, Iraq achieved one of the greatest feats of these qualifiers. The Lions of Mesopotamia thus complete the France group and offer themselves an immense challenge against the Blues, Senegal and Norway. An unexpected poster but full of promise which will add a little flavor to the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.
