Khaberni - The Iraq national team (ranked 57 globally) has officially qualified for the final round of the intercontinental playoffs for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada for the first time with the participation of 48 teams, following the conclusion of the qualifiers in North and Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF).
The "Lions of Mesopotamia" are now just 90 minutes away from qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, after they reached the intercontinental playoffs by defeating their counterpart from the UAE 2-1 in the second leg of the Asian playoffs (1-1 in the first leg).
Iraq will play a single decisive match in the intercontinental playoffs, facing one of the four teams vying for qualification, which are Bolivia, New Caledonia, Jamaica, or Suriname, in a match to be held on Mexican soil.
Iraq at the Final Stop
This match will be an important final milestone in the history of Iraqi football, as Iraq aims to qualify for the World Cup finals for the second time in its history after the first in 1986 in Mexico.
After the conclusion of the qualifications in North America and Central America and "CONCACAF," which resulted in Iraq’s advancement to the final round of the intercontinental playoffs, the Iraqi fans have expressed their optimism in achieving the dream again and participating in the 2026 World Cup.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (ranked 60 globally) has also qualified for the final round of the intercontinental playoffs.
Intercontinental Playoffs Draw
The intercontinental playoffs draw will take place on Thursday, November 20, at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.
The intercontinental playoffs matches will be held between March 21 and March 30, 2026, in Mexico.
Panama, Haiti, and Curaçao Qualify for the 2026 World Cup
Haiti defied the odds to secure a spot at next year's World Cup, and they will be joined by Panama and Curaçao, the smallest nation ever to qualify for the finals.
These three teams topped their groups to advance from the North America and Caribbean region (CONCACAF) to the finals, which will include 48 teams in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Haiti defeated Nicaragua 2-0 to top Group Three, while Panama secured a 3-0 home win over El Salvador to lead Group One.
Curaçao Makes World Cup History
Curaçao secured a goalless draw away against Jamaica to stay one point ahead of its host in the lead of Group Two, despite the absence of the veteran Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who returned to Europe over the weekend for family reasons.
Curaçao, an autonomous part of the Netherlands with a population of 156,000, is undoubtedly the least populous nation to participate in the World Cup, surpassing the previous record held by Iceland, which has a population of 350,000.
