World Cup 2026 Recap: Iraq’s Historic Run and the Road to the Final

Spain and Argentina punched their tickets to the World Cup 2026 final within a day of each other, beating France and England in back-to-back semi-finals in Dallas and Atlanta. Getting to this point took five weeks of football that started with Iraq ending a 40-year wait to play at a World Cup, moved through the tournament’s first-ever Round of 32, and produced enough upsets to eliminate all three host nations before the quarter-finals. Here is how the tournament reached Sunday’s final at MetLife Stadium, and what comes next.

Iraq Ends a 40-Year Wait, Then Meets Reality in Group I

Iraq’s road to this World Cup began in Monterrey, where Aymen Hussein scored the goal that beat Bolivia 2-1 in the intercontinental play-off and sent the Lions of Mesopotamia to their first finals since 1986. That result alone made history: Iraq had not played at a World Cup in four decades, and the win completed the tournament’s expanded 48-team field.

The draw was unkind. Iraq at the World Cup 2026 meant sharing Group I with France, Senegal and Norway, three sides that all finished above Iraq in the FIFA rankings before a ball was kicked. Norway beat Iraq 4-1 in the opener at Gillette Stadium, with Hussein again on the scoresheet for Iraq’s only goal of the group. France won 3-0 in Philadelphia, and Senegal closed out the group with a 5-0 win in Toronto. Iraq finished bottom of Group I without a point and did not advance to the World Cup 2026 Round of 32.

For a squad built mostly around Iraq Stars League players, plus a handful abroad such as Ali Jasim, on loan at Saudi club Al-Najma from Serie A side Como, the group stage was always going to be a steep climb against three World Cup regulars. Reaching this World Cup at all, after four decades away, is the story Iraqi fans will keep returning to long after the group-stage scorelines are forgotten.

The Knockouts That Reshaped the Bracket

The expanded format introduced the World Cup 2026 Round of 32 as the tournament’s new first knockout round, and it produced shocks straight away. By the time the Round of 16 arrived, all three host nations were out: Canada lost to Morocco, Mexico fell to England, and the United States were eliminated by Belgium.

Morocco kept going, beating Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 to reach the quarter-finals for the second World Cup running, the first African side to do that in back-to-back tournaments. Their run ended 2-0 to France in Boston. Egypt also made it past the Round of 32, edging Australia on penalties, before Argentina needed a Messi-assisted response to win 3-2 in the Round of 16.

Spain and France, then Argentina and England, went on to fill the semi-final weekend, and it delivered two of the tournament’s biggest results. Spain beat France 2-0 in Dallas through a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty and a Pedro Porro strike, and a day later Argentina scored twice in the final ten minutes to beat England 2-1 in Atlanta, both goals set up by Lionel Messi. Looking back at the World Cup 2026 semi-final results, neither game was settled until the closing stages.

What’s Next: The World Cup Final

Two matches remain. France and England play for third place on Saturday, 18 July at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, a repeat of two sides that both fell in the semi-finals. Then, on Sunday, 19 July, the Spain vs Argentina World Cup final closes out the tournament at MetLife Stadium (branded New York New Jersey Stadium for FIFA purposes) in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Argentina are chasing back-to-back titles, something no nation has managed since Brazil in 1962. Spain, champions in 2010, are chasing their second star. Messi and Kylian Mbappe both go into the final on eight goals at the top of the Golden Boot standings, with Messi holding the tie-break on assists after setting up both of Argentina’s semi-final goals.

Where to Bet on the World Cup 2026 Final

A Spain vs Argentina final gives bettors plenty to work with beyond the straight winner market: correct score, half-time/full-time, anytime scorer on Messi or Lamine Yamal, and total goals markets are all in play for Sunday, plus the France vs England third-place game a day earlier.

Betfinal is one of the most popular bookmakers among Iraqi football fans, with Arabic support and local deposit methods. Its $25,000 Leaderboard prize pool runs until the Final on 19 July, with the top 20 players sharing the pool and the number one player taking home $10,000 in cash; even losing bets earn points toward it.

Bet on the World Cup 2026 final at Betfinal and see how the Leaderboard, the Digital Passport and the rest of Betfinal’s promotions run right through the trophy lift, not just on a single outright bet. Read the full Betfinal World Cup 2026 review for everything on offer, check the complete World Cup 2026 betting guide for every market this tournament, or head to our football betting picks for more Iraq-focused coverage.

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