For the first time in 40 years, Iraq are back at a World Cup, and they have landed in one of the toughest groups of the tournament. That alone makes the summer of 2026 one to follow closely, whether you are backing the Lions of Mesopotamia or building bets across all 48 teams. This page brings together everything a bettor needs for the World Cup: where to bet, the offers worth claiming, the format, the Arab teams and the markets that give the best value.
Want to bet on the World Cup? Betfinal is running one of the strongest campaigns this tournament. Read more in our BetFinal World Cup 2026 review.
Iraq’s upcoming World Cup 2026 fixtures
Iraq’s next matches
Where to bet on the 2026 World Cup
⭐ 1st pick
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
World Cup Bonuses Worth Claiming
A welcome bonus matters, but the World Cup is a month of football, so the offers that keep paying are the ones that count. Betfinal has leaned into that. Its $25,000 Leaderboard runs all the way to the final on 19 July, with the top 20 players sharing the pool and first place taking $10,000 in cash, and even losing bets earn points. For outright bettors there is a Top Scorer offer: place a $20 outright on your pick and you get a $5 Freebet every time he scores. Collect all 10 badges in the Digital Passport during the tournament and you enter the draw for an iPad Pro. Add Early Settlement, which pays out a 3-0 lead straight away even if the final score changes, and you have offers that reward you across the whole month, not just at sign-up.
Leaderboard $25,000 Prize Pool
Every bet you place on a World Cup match earns you points, win or lose. The top 20 players at the end of the tournament share a $25,000 prize pool, with first place taking $10,000 in cash. Losing bets count too, so following Iraq through the group stage builds your total regardless of the results.
Key Details:
- $25,000 shared between the top 20 players
- First place wins $10,000 cash
- Every bet earns points, wins and losses both count
$5 Freebet Every Time Your Player Scores
Place a minimum $20 outright bet on the World Cup Top Goalscorer market and earn a $5 freebet every time your picked player finds the net. The earlier you back your striker, the more you can collect across the tournament.
Key Details:
- Minimum $20 outright bet on the Top Goalscorer market
- $5 freebet credited after each goal your player scores
- Only your first qualifying bet is eligible
- Goals in penalty shootouts do not count
- Freebets expire 3 days after being credited
Digital Passport Collect 10 Badges, Win an iPad Pro
Complete ten betting challenges during the tournament to fill your Digital Passport. Each badge earns you points on the Leaderboard, and collecting all ten enters you into a draw for an iPad Pro. Most badges come naturally if you are following the tournament from start to finish.
Key Details:
- 10 badges to collect through specific betting actions
- Each badge earns 42 Leaderboard points
- Complete the full set for 500 points total, including an 80-point bonus
- Every player who collects all 10 badges enters the iPad Pro draw
- One winner selected at the end of the tournament
Early Settlement Get Paid When Your Team Goes 3-0 Up
If the team you backed goes 3-0 ahead at any point during the match, your bet pays out immediately. Even if the score later becomes 3-2, you have already been paid. With some heavy mismatches expected in the group stage, this can make a real difference.
Key Details:
- Bet pays out instantly when your team leads 3-0
- Settlement stands even if the final score changes
- Applies to selected World Cup markets
- No action needed — settlement is automatic
2026 World Cup Host Nations and Tournament Format Explained
The 2026 World Cup is the first hosted by three countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the first with 48 teams instead of 32. They are split into 12 groups of four. For bettors, more teams means more matches and more markets, and a longer group stage where value is often easier to find than in the knockouts.
2026 World Cup host countries map
How The Tournament Works
Each group plays three matches. The top two from every group advance, along with the eight best third-placed teams, which gives 32 teams in the first knockout round, the new Round of 32. From there it is the Round of 16, the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the final on 19 July. The Round of 32 is new for 2026, so a few extra teams get a knockout shot they would not have had under the old format.
Groups & Iraq’s Schedule
Here is how the 12 groups line up, and Iraq’s three group matches with local kick-off times.
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 17 June |
🇮🇶 Iraq vs 🇳🇴 Norway
|
Boston, USA | 00:00 |
| Tue 23 June |
🇮🇶 Iraq vs 🇫🇷 France
|
Philadelphia, USA | 00:00 |
| Fri 26 June |
🇮🇶 Iraq vs 🇸🇳 Senegal
|
Toronto, Canada | 22:00 |
The Eight Arab Teams at the World Cup
A record eight Arab nations are at the 2026 World Cup: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq. Morocco arrive as the side that reached the semi-finals in 2022. Jordan are here for the very first time. Iraq are back after a 40-year wait.
← Scroll to see all 8 teams →
The Best World Cup Betting Markets
Two kinds of bet carry most of the World Cup action. Outrights, where you back the tournament winner or the top scorer, and match markets, where you bet on a single game. Outrights are where the season-long offers pay off: if you are backing a Golden Boot pick, Betfinal’s Top Scorer offer turns every goal he scores into a $5 Freebet once you have placed the $20 outright. For match betting, the most popular markets are over/under, handicap, both teams to score and first goalscorer.
| Market | How it works | Guide |
|---|---|---|
|
Outright winner
|
Back one team to win the whole tournament. Odds are longest before the group stage and shorten as teams progress. | Read guide |
|
Top scorer / Golden Boot Betfinal offer
|
Back a player to finish as the tournament’s top goalscorer. Place a $20 outright on Betfinal and earn a $5 freebet every time your pick scores. | Read guide |
|
Over / Under
|
Bet on whether the total goals in a match will be over or under a set line, usually 2.5. You do not need to pick a winner. | Read guide |
|
Handicap
|
One team starts with a virtual goal advantage or deficit. Useful when backing a strong favourite at short odds. | Read guide |
|
Both teams to score
|
Bet on whether both sides will score at least once in the match. Result does not matter, only that each team finds the net. | Read guide |
|
First goalscorer
|
Back a player to score the very first goal of the match. Higher odds than anytime scorer, best used on strikers with a strong record of opening goals. | Read guide |
A Few Tips Before You Bet
How to Start Betting On The World Cup
How to start betting on the World Cup
Betting is for adults aged 18 and over. Always bet responsibly.
FAQs
It runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Eight: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq.
The new first knockout round in the 48-team format: the top two from each group plus the eight best third-placed teams, 32 teams in total.
We rate Betfinal highest this tournament for the rewards that run throughout it, including the $25,000 Leaderboard and the Top Scorer Freebet. Read our full Betfinal World Cup review for the details.
Yes, Iraq are in the outright winner market, though as big outsiders in a tough group. Many fans prefer markets like Iraq to qualify from the group, or a top-scorer bet on an Iraqi player. See the latest odds at Betfinal.