Iraq World Cup 2026 Squad: Every Player, Stats and Profiles

Forty years after their only previous World Cup appearance, Iraq are back. Graham Arnold’s squad for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico is the most internationally experienced in the country’s footballing history: players from Portugal, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, England, Denmark and Norway alongside the domestic core that carried Iraq through 21 qualifying matches. This page covers every player in the confirmed squad, with clubs, positions and what each brings to Iraq’s campaign in Group I.

The Iraq World Cup 2026 Squad

Graham Arnold submitted his final 26-man squad to FIFA on 1 June 2026. The list below is based on the 34-man preliminary squad announced on 19 May, with the cuts confirmed on 2 June.

Key Players to Watch

Aymen Hussein: The Man Who Clinched It

Thirty-three international goals in 93 caps going into the tournament. Eight of those came during the World Cup qualifying campaign, and the most important was the decisive 52nd minute goal in the play-off final against Bolivia on 31 March 2026 in Monterrey. It was also the last qualifying goal of the entire global campaign. Hussein is a physically imposing centre-forward who holds the ball up, wins aerial duels and gives Iraq’s counter-attack a focal point against the stronger sides they will face in Group I.

Ali Jasim: Como’s Winger, Iraq’s Brightest Prospect

Born on 20 January 2004, Ali Jasim is 22 years old at the time of the tournament. He holds a three-year contract with Como in Serie A, signed in July 2024 after Cesc Fabregas personally requested him. He spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Al-Najma in the Saudi Pro League, scoring four goals in 24 league appearances. At the 2024 Paris Olympics he scored the winning goal in Iraq’s 2-1 victory over Ukraine. He created four assists during World Cup qualifying, the most of any Iraqi player alongside Al-Ammari, and he is expected to start in Arnold’s attacking midfield or on the left.

Ali Al-Hamadi: The Luton Striker Who Opened the Scoring Against Bolivia

Ali Al-Hamadi scored Iraq’s first goal in the play-off final against Bolivia before Hussein sealed qualification. Born in Maysan in 2002, Al-Hamadi moved to Liverpool with his family in 2003, shortly after the Iraq War began. He now plays for Luton Town in the English Championship. At 24, he brings aerial presence and directness that complements Hussein up front.

Zidane Iqbal: The Manchester-Born Midfielder

Born in Manchester to Iraqi-Pakistani parents, Zidane Iqbal plays club football at Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie. He holds approximately 25 caps, is one of the younger squad members, and already features prominently in Arnold’s midfield plans. His passing accuracy under pressure is higher than the rest of Iraq’s midfield group, and he provides a calmer, more possession-based option when the situation demands it.

Jalal Hassan: Captain, 100 Caps, First Choice

Jalal Hassan turned 35 in 2026 and recently became only the 15th Iraqi player to reach 100 international caps. The Al-Zawraa keeper has been Iraq’s undisputed first choice for a decade, and he wears the armband at this tournament. Against the kind of attacking talent Iraq will face from France and Senegal, his experience in goal is one of the team’s most important assets.

Rebin Sulaka: 26 Tackles in Qualifying

Centre-back Rebin Sulaka, born in 1992 and now playing for Port in Thailand, was Iraq’s most active ball-winner in qualifying. He recorded 26 tackles at a rate of 1.9 per 90 minutes, giving away just one yellow card throughout the campaign. Arnold’s defensive structure is built around him. At 34 this is his first and likely only World Cup, and he has played club football across nine different countries.

Marko Farji: The Norwegian-Born Wild Card

One name that may surprise fans is Marko Farji, born in Norway to Iraqi parents. The 22-year-old winger scored nine goals and contributed four assists for Stromsgodset in the 2025 Norwegian Eliteserien, earning a move to Venezia in Serie B in early 2026. He has only a handful of senior caps but brings electric pace off the bench and a genuine ability to unsettle defenders in one-on-one situations.

Iraq’s World Cup 2026 Group and Fixtures

Iraq are in Group I alongside France, Senegal and Norway. All three opponents carry significant quality, but the fixture list is not without opportunity. The Norway match on 16 June in Foxborough is where most Iraqi fans see a realistic chance of a result.

France on 22 June in Philadelphia is the occasion Iraqi fans have been waiting 40 years for. Senegal on 26 June in Toronto rounds out a group that will test Iraq hard, but that is the point. This is not a team that qualified by accident.

Betting on Iraq at the World Cup 2026

Aymen Hussein goes into the tournament as Iraq’s most bankable scorer, with 33 international goals and eight in qualifying alone. Ali Al-Hamadi is a credible First Goalscorer pick at longer odds, having scored against Bolivia in the play-off final. And if you want a name for the Top Scorer market, Hussein’s physical style and hold-up play means he will see the ball in dangerous positions in all three group games.

Betfinal is one of the most popular bookmakers among Iraqi football fans, with Arabic support and local deposit methods. If you back Aymen Hussein in the Top Scorer market, Betfinal adds a $5 Freebet for every goal he scores during the tournament.

For everything Betfinal offers across the World Cup, including the $25,000 Leaderboard and the Digital Passport, see the Betfinal World Cup 2026 page. For a full breakdown of the campaign and why Betfinal is worth using for the tournament, see our Betfinal World Cup 2026 review on iraqbet.

Iraq at the World Cup: The 40-Year Wait Ends

Iraq’s only previous appearance came in Mexico in 1986. They lost all three group games, against Mexico, Paraguay and Belgium, scoring just once.

Forty years later, this squad arrived in North America through a different kind of journey entirely. Players raised in Norway, the Netherlands, England, Poland and the United States. Dual nationals who chose Iraq. A generation that watched their country rebuild a football culture from whatever was left. Qualifying for this tournament required 21 matches, more than any other nation. Arnold’s play-off win over Bolivia in Monterrey was not just a result. For a country that has lived through the things Iraq has lived through, it was something else.

Frequently Asked Questions

For full Iraq match schedule and betting markets, see our Iraq World Cup 2026 match schedule page. For more on football betting in Iraq, see our football betting Iraq guide.