News Focus
- Graham Arnold takes charge of Iraq in May 2025 following his exit from the Australian national team
- The Lions of Mesopotamia secure their first World Cup berth since 1986 via a dramatic playoff victory
- The squad endured bombings in Baghdad, hotel evacuations in Dubai, and FBI detention delays in Mexico
- Arnold bans social media for players and splits the team by language to solve on-pitch communication issues
- Iraq aim to cause major upsets at the 2026 finals after earning a confidence-boosting draw with Spain
Graham Arnold insists that Iraq are ready to shock the world at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Australian coach has led the Lions of Mesopotamia to their first finals in 40 years after surviving a qualification journey filled with explosions, border chaos, and unshakeable belief.
Arnold, aged 62, accepted the Iraq post in May 2025 just months after stepping down as Socceroos boss. He had felt burnt out at the time, but restlessness quickly replaced exhaustion. When his agent offered the Iraq job, he said yes within three days despite friends and family warning him about the region’s dangers.
The coach moved to Baghdad and spent eight months learning the local culture. He discovered a nation obsessed with football. Matches between top local clubs draw 50,000 fans, and the entire country stops to watch El Clásico.
However, the players carried heavy pressure from millions of desperate supporters. Many suffered panic attacks in camp. Arnold banned social media to shield them from online negativity. He also became a father figure to the squad, calling them his boys and his staff their uncles.
Tactical challenges emerged quickly. Eighty percent of the squad speak Arabic, while nine players born in Europe speak English. Arnold solved this by placing English speakers on the left side of defence and attack, Arabic speakers on the right, and bilingual players in the centre to link play.
The road to qualification proved brutal. War erupted while Arnold was in Dubai scouting. Bombs shook his hotel barely two kilometres away. The team became trapped in Baghdad, then Jordan, during missile attacks. They endured a 28-hour bus ride and a 9,000-mile journey to Mexico for the playoff final.
Even arrival brought trouble. The hero who scored the decisive penalty, Amir al-Ammari, faced questioning by the FBI. A team photographer was denied entry. Yet Iraq prevailed, converting a spot-kick in the 117th minute to book their ticket.
Now in Chicago for the finals, Arnold believes the impossible journey forged an unbreakable spirit. After holding Spain to a draw in a warm-up match, Iraq dream of making history again.