The latest developments in the Iraqi national team in preparation for the 2026 World Cup playoff

On Monday, the Iraqi national team conducted its first training session in the Mexican city of Monterrey, in preparation for facing the winner of the match between Bolivia and Suriname in the global qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup, according to what the local Football Association website announced.
The ranks of the “Mesopotamian Lions” team began to be completed successively, with the addition of three professional players in European clubs out of 15 players called by Australian coach Graham Arnold.
The professional players, Amir Al-Ammari, Mirkhas Doski and Hussein Ali, joined the squad after completing their commitments with their clubs, awaiting the addition of the rest of the professionals whom Arnold invited to join.
The Iraqi national team’s roster includes 15 professionals abroad, in addition to the aforementioned trio: Zaid Tahseen, Rebin Sulaqa, Ibrahim Bayesh, Ali Al Hammadi, Marco Faraj, Zidane Iqbal, Imar Shear, Muhannad Ali, Youssef Al-Amin, Ali Jassim, Kevin Yacoub, and France Boutros.
The Iraqi national team will face the winner of the match between Bolivia and Suriname, on the 31st of this month.
Arnold summoned 28 players to the “Mesopotamia Lions” roster in preparation for the fateful match, which Iraq seeks to win in order to reach the World Cup finals for the second time in its history, after Yatima’s participation in the World Cup in Mexico in 1986.
The Iraqi national team delegation arrived on Sunday in the city of Monterrey, coming from the Jordanian capital, Amman, after the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) secured a private plane to transport it, due to the war in the Middle East between the United States and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other hand since last February 28, which led to the closure of the airspace of most of the airports in the countries of the region.