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Iraq national football team

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This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Iraq women's national football team.

Iraq
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Usood al-Rafidayn
(Lions of Mesopotamia)
AssociationIraq Football Association (IFA)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationWAFF (West Asia)
Head coachJesús Casas
CaptainJalal Hassan
Most capsYounis Mahmoud (148)
Top scorerHussein Saeed (78)
Home stadiumBasra International Stadium
FIFA codeIRQ
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 56 Steady (19 December 2024)[1]
Highest39 (6 October 2004)
Lowest139 (3 July 1996)
First international
 Morocco 3–3 Iraq 
(Beirut, Lebanon; 19 October 1957)
Biggest win
 Iraq 13–0 Ethiopia 
(Irbid, Jordan; 18 August 1992)
Biggest defeat
 Turkey 7–1 Iraq 
(Adana, Turkey; 6 December 1959)
 Brazil 6–0 Iraq 
(Malmö, Sweden; 11 October 2012)
 Chile 6–0 Iraq 
(Copenhagen, Denmark; 14 August 2013)
World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 1986)
Best resultGroup stage (1986)
Asian Cup
Appearances10 (first in 1972)
Best resultChampions (2007)
Arab Cup
Appearances6 (first in 1964)
Best resultChampions (1964, 1966, 1985, 1988)
WAFF Championship
Appearances8 (first in 2000)
Best resultChampions (2002)
Arabian Gulf Cup
Appearances17 (first in 1976)
Best resultChampions (1979, 1984, 1988, 2023)
Confederations Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2009)
Best resultGroup stage (2009)
Medal record
AFC Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place 2007 Indonesia/Malaysia
/Thailand/Vietnam		 Team
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1982 New Delhi Team
WAFF Championship
Gold medal – first place 2002 Syria Team
Silver medal – second place 2007 Jordan Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 Kuwait Team
Silver medal – second place 2019 Iraq Team
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Jordan Team
Arab Cup
Gold medal – first place 1964 Kuwait Team
Gold medal – first place 1966 Iraq Team
Gold medal – first place 1985 Saudi Arabia Team
Gold medal – first place 1988 Jordan Team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Saudi Arabia Team
Arabian Gulf Cup
Gold medal – first place 1979 Iraq Team
Gold medal – first place 1984 Oman Team
Gold medal – first place 1988 Saudi Arabia Team
Gold medal – first place 2023 Iraq Team
Silver medal – second place 1976 Qatar Team
Silver medal – second place 2013 Bahrain Team
West Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 2005 Doha Team
Arab Games
Gold medal – first place 1985 Rabat Team
Silver medal – second place 1999 Amman Team

The Iraq national football team (Arabic: منتخب الْعِرَاق لِكُرَةُ الْقَدَم) represents Iraq in men's international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association (IFA), the governing body for football in Iraq. Iraq's usual home venue is the Basra International Stadium.[3]

Iraq have made one FIFA World Cup appearance in 1986, scoring a solitary goal against Belgium. Iraq are one of eight current AFC nations to have won the AFC Asian Cup, claiming the title in 2007 in spite of difficult conditions and limited preparation. Iraq defeated some of the favourites in the competition including Australia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. This qualified them for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup where they earned two points in the group stage; they later finished fourth at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.[4]

Iraq are the Arab Cup's most successful team with four titles, and have also won the Arabian Gulf Cup four times and the WAFF Championship once.[5] Iraq is known for its passionate football fans and the national team is seen as a symbol of hope and unity for Iraqi people.[6] The team reached its highest FIFA World Ranking of 39th in October 2004.[7]

History

[edit]
Main article: History of the Iraq national football team

Early years

[edit]
The Iraqi national football team in 1951; they played two games in the Turkish cities of İzmir and Ankara.

On 8 October 1948, the Iraq Football Association was founded.[8] The Iraq FA joined FIFA in 1950 and in April 1951, Iraq played their first match: a 5–0 win over the Civil Cantonment (CC) team of Habbaniyah.[9][8] Iraq's first ever official international game came in the opening game of the 1957 Arab Games in Beirut where Iraq drew 3–3 to Morocco with goals from Ammo Baba, Youra Eshaya (both from Iraq's Assyrian minority) and Fakhri Mohammed Salman.[10][8] One of the members of Iraq's first national team was Youra Eshaya, who in 1954 became the first Iraqi footballer to play in England for Bristol Rovers Colts.[citation needed]

In 1962, Iraq appointed their first foreign manager, Romanian coach Cornel Drăgușin. Iraq won their first trophy in 1964 when they won the Arab Cup, winning three and drawing one of their four games. In the following edition, they retained their Arab Cup title, beating Syria 2–1 in the final in Baghdad.[8]

1970s

[edit]

In 1972, Iraq played at their first ever AFC Asian Cup but failed to win a game in the tournament. In March 1973, Iraq played their first ever FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. They finished second in their group, a point behind Australia, therefore failing to qualify for the next round. In the remaining years of the 1970s, Iraq reached the second round of the Asian Games (1974), lost the Arabian Gulf Cup final (1976), finished fourth at the AFC Asian Cup (1976), finished fourth in the Asian Games (1978) and finally hosted and won the Arabian Gulf Cup (1979).[11] The 1976 Asian Cup would be the last Asian Cup that Iraq appeared in for the next 20 years, as they withdrew from the next four editions.

1980s – First Golden Generation

[edit]

The 1980s was arguably Iraq's most successful period in their history. They started the decade off disappointingly, being knocked out in the first round of qualifiers for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. In 1982, they won the gold medal at the 1982 Asian Games. In 1984, Iraq won the Arabian Gulf Cup. The following year, they won the 1985 Arab Cup and also won the gold medal at the 1985 Arab Games.[citation needed]

1986 FIFA World Cup

[edit]

Iraq were seeded into the first round of qualifiers where they faced Qatar and Jordan. Iraq topped Group 1B with 6 points, and advanced to the second round. Iraq faced United Arab Emirates in two legs. Iraq defeated UAE 3–2 in Dubai. Iraq lost with 2–1 to UAE in the second leg. Iraq won 4–4 aggregate on away goals and advanced to the final round. In the final round, Iraq tied Syria 0–0 in Damascus. Iraq defeated Syria 3–1 in the second leg in Taif. Iraq won 3–1 on aggregate and qualified to the 1986 FIFA World Cup.[citation needed]

At their first game of the Group B at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Iraq played well against Paraguay, losing narrowly 1–0 despite scoring a goal that was controversially disallowed by the referee. Iraq recorded their first World Cup goal in the second game, scoring against Belgium in a 1–2 defeat despite having ten men, with Ahmed Radhi scoring a goal for Iraq.[12] Iraq played against hosts Mexico in the third game, losing 1–0 and being eliminated from the World Cup.[citation needed]

In the following years, Iraq won the 1988 Arabian Gulf Cup and won the 1988 Arab Cup. Overall, Iraq won nine competitions in the 1980s and played in their only World Cup, leading many to believe that this was the golden era of Iraqi football. In 1989, Iraq competed in qualifying for a berth in the 1990 World Cup finals, but they lost a crucial game against Qatar.[citation needed]

1990s – The Dark Era

[edit]

Following the Gulf War in 1990, Iraq was banned from participating in the Asian Games and in most Arab competitions. The ban wasn't extended to the Asian Cup and World Cup.

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

In 1993, Iraq participated in qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Grouped with China, Yemen, Jordan and Pakistan in the first stage, Iraq proved to be too strong for the rest, with the team only failing to win twice, a draw to Jordan and loss to China.[citation needed]

In the final round, Iraq was grouped with Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan, Iran and North Korea.[citation needed] On the first matchday, Iraq lost 3–2 to North Korea in a dramatic way, being 2–0 ahead in the second half. After an Iraqi player was sent off, North Korea pulled back in the 67th minute, equalized in the 77th minute and scored the winner in the 82nd minute.[13] They then tied 2–2 with South Korea.[14] and then defeated Iran 2–1 by goals of Ahmed Radhi and Alaa Kadhim.[15]

Iraq missed out on a World Cup spot by two points. By drawing their last game with Japan 2–2, they denied the Japanese a place in the finals in a match referred to by the Japanese media as the Agony of Doha.[16] The loss against North Korea proved to be the difference with the other teams, as North Korea lost their other 4 matches and finished bottom of the group.[citation needed]

1996 AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

Iraq participated in the 1996 AFC Asian Cup, their first Asian Cup campaign for 20 years of withdrawing from the previous four. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to the United Arab Emirates due to a golden goal scored by Abdulrahman Ibrahim. In 1996, Iraq was ranked 139th in the world, which is their worst FIFA ranking in their history due to inactivity after withdrawing from several tournaments.

In 1997, Iraq participated in qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup but were knocked out at the first round following two defeats by Kazakhstan.[citation needed]

This period is known as 'The Dark Era' as Uday Hussein, the son of Saddam Hussein, abused his control of Iraqi football and tortured players who played poorly, punishing them by sending them to prison, making them bathe in raw sewage and kick concrete balls, and shaving their heads among many other punishments.[17][18]

2000s – Second Golden Generation

[edit]

The 2000s was considered to be the rebirth of a new Iraqi football golden generation. However, Iraq had a rocky beginning.

2000 AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

Iraq played in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup but were knocked out at the quarter-final stage again, this time by Japan in a 4–1 loss.[citation needed]

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

Iraq reached the final round of 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification for the first time since 1994 but lost five of their eight second-round games and therefore failed to make the finals.[citation needed]

Iraq won their first ever WAFF Championship in 2002, beating Jordan 3–2 in the final after extra time.[citation needed]

2004 AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

In 2004, Iraq lost the opening match against Uzbekistan then they won against Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia respectively, to reach the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup before getting knocked out by China.[19]

2006 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

In the same year they were knocked out at the second round of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers by Uzbekistan.[citation needed]

Iraq were ranked as high as 39th in the World Rankings in October 2004 which is their highest ranking position in their history. The following year, Iraq won the gold medal in the West Asian Games by beating Syria in the final via a penalty shootout. In 2007, Iraq were knocked out at the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup after a controversial defeat to Saudi Arabia.[20] Akram Salman was sacked and Jorvan Vieira appointed as head coach. Under him, Iraq reached the final of the WAFF Championship but lost 2–1 to Iran.[citation needed]

2007 AFC Asian Cup triumph

[edit]
Iraq playing against Australia in Group A of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup; Iraq won the game 3–1 on their way to winning the cup.

In July 2007, Iraq kicked off their 2007 AFC Asian Cup campaign. The squad was made mainly of players that won the 2000 AFC Youth Championship, finished fourth at the 2004 Olympic Games and second at the 2006 Asian Games. Vieira only had two months to prepare his team for the tournament, and the team suffered from very poor facilities. The Iraq FA struggled to provide the team with enough kits for the tournament and Iraq had not been able to play any previous games in their own country for security reasons and most of the players had had family members killed in the war.[21]

The team started the tournament with a 1–1 draw against joint-hosts Thailand before producing a 3–1 win over favourites Australia. A draw with Oman followed to put Iraq into the quarter-finals where two goals from Younis Mahmoud against Vietnam put Iraq into the semi-finals for the second time in their history. They manages to knock out one of the best Asian teams, South Korea in the semis via a penalty shootout in which Noor Sabri made a crucial save.[21] After the game, a suicide bomber killed 30 football fans who were celebrating the semi-final win over South Korea and this almost led to the Iraqi team withdrawing from the final,[22] but they decided to go on in honour of the dead and succeeded in doing that after defeating Saudi Arabia 1–0 in the final, a game that they dominated from start to finish and that was won by a Younis Mahmoud header. This tournament win is seen as one of the greatest upsets in international history as a war-torn country became international champions in what is described as one of sport's greatest 'fairytales'.[23][24]

Vieira stated during the final that he would resign after the Asian Cup.[25] He was replaced by Egil Olsen in September 2007.[26]

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

Under Egil Olsen, Iraq advanced from the first round by beating Pakistan 7-0 on aggregate. Then they were drawn with Australia, China, and Qatar for the second round.[27] On the first matchday, Iraq tied China. As a consequence, Olsen was sacked and replaced by Adnan Hamad.[28]

The next two matches saw Iraq lose twice to Qatar and Australia. However, Iraq bounced back with an 1-0 win on Australia and 2-1 win against China.[29]

On 26 May 2008, FIFA decided to suspend Iraq from all international competitions after the Iraq Football Association was disbanded by the government on 20 May 2008.[30] The suspension was provisionally and conditionally lifted on 29 May 2008.[31]

Iraq needed 1 point to advance to the final stage on the last matchday, but failed to advance to the final round of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as a 1–0 defeat to Qatar saw them finish in third in the group. Following this, the Iraq FA decided to disband the team and sacked Hamad.[32]

Qatar fielded ineligible player Emerson in the 2–0 defeat to Iraq on 26 March 2008, prompting FIFA to controversially[33] suspend him but clear Qatar of any wrongdoing, in direct contradiction to its decisions against Singapore. Iraq appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but it was rejected by the CAS, saying that Iraq submitted documents and appeal fees too late.[34]

Jorvan Vieira was reappointed in September 2008. After a disappointing 2009 Arabian Gulf Cup, Vieira was sacked and replaced by Bora Milutinovic.[35]

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup

[edit]

In 2009, Iraq participated in only their second FIFA tournament ever: the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, which they qualified for by winning the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. They started the tournament with a 0–0 draw with hosts South Africa, before losing 1–0 to UEFA Euro 2008 winners Spain. Iraq drew the last game 0–0 with New Zealand and were knocked out.

On 20 November 2009, the FIFA Emergency Committee suspended the Iraq FA due to government interference;[36] the suspension was lifted on 19 March 2010.[37]

2010s – Ups and downs

[edit]
The Iraqi national team pose ahead of their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against China in Doha.

2011 AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

Iraq qualified automatically for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. They were drawn against Iran, North Korea and UAE in Group D. After a 2–1 loss against Iran, and 1–0 win against UAE, Iraq went into the match against North Korea needing only a draw to progress. Iraq won 1–0 and advanced to the quarterfinals as group runners-up. On 23 January, Iraq lost to Australia, 1–0, in the quarterfinal. The match went into extra time with Harry Kewell heading in a goal in the 117th minute just inside the 18-yard box.[citation needed]

2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

Under coach Wolfgang Sidka, Iraq were drawn into the second round of qualifiers where they faced Yemen. Iraq defeated Yemen 2–0 in Arbil on 23 July before drawing 0–0 in Al Ain five days later. Iraq advanced to the third round of qualifiers where they were grouped with Jordan, China and Singapore. The IFA announced it would not renew Wolfgang Sidka's contract on 2 August 2011.[38] On 29 August 2011, Brazilian legend Zico signed a one-year contract to become the new coach of Iraq.[39]

Iraq topped Group A with 15 points, and in the final qualification stage was drawn with Jordan, Japan, Australia and Oman. Iraq started with 1–1 draws against Jordan away and Oman at home. After their slow start, Iraq lost 1–0 to Japan away and lost a crucial home match against Australia 2–1, moving them into bottom position with 2 points. On 14 November 2012, Iraq won 1–0 against Jordan in Doha which elevated them to third in Group B, behind Australia on goal difference and ahead of Oman.[citation needed]

On 28 November 2012, Zico resigned as head coach.[40] The Iraqi FA appointed Vladimir Petrović as his replacement on 25 February 2013.[41] However, on 11 June 2013, Iraq lost 1-0 to Japan in Doha and were eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[42]

2015 AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

Iraq were in a 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualifying group alongside Saudi Arabia, China and Indonesia. After losing consecutively against China and Saudi Arabia, Iraq was in danger of missing out on the Asian Cup. They kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup with a 2–0 away win over Indonesia on 19 November 2013, and on the last matchday, Iraq booked their spot with a commanding 3–1 win at the Sharjah Stadium against China. Due to bad results at the 22nd Arabian Gulf Cup, Hakeem Shaker was sacked and the FA appointed Radhi Shenaishil as caretaker coach.

Iraq began the 2015 AFC Asian Cup campaign with a 1–0 win over Jordan.[43] In the next match, Iraq faced Japan and lost the match 0–1.[44] Iraq then beat Palestine 2–0 and qualified to knockout stage as the Group D runner-up.[45] Iraq defeated Iran in the quarter-finals in penalties, 7–6, after the game ended 3–3 after 120 minutes of play.[46] They faced South Korea in the semi-finals but lost 0–2.[47] Iraq finished the AFC Asian Cup in fourth place, after losing 2–3 to United Arab Emirates in third/fourth place play-off.[48]

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Iraq were drawn with Thailand, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei.[49]

In August 2015, Yahya Alwan was appointed coach for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[50] After initially starting well with a 5-1 win against Chinese Taipei, two consecutive draws against Thailand and Vietnam left Iraq in real danger of missing out on the final round. On 24 March 2016, Iraq tied 2-2 with Thailand and Alwan was replaced with Abdul-Ghani Shahad. Five days later, he led Iraq to the final round and 2019 AFC Asian Cup by beating Vietnam 1-0.[citation needed]

On 15 April 2016, Radhi Shenaishil became the new coach of Iraq in order to lead the team in the final round.[51] For the final round, Iraq was drawn with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Thailand. After seven matchdays, Iraq only managed to collect 4 points by beating Thailand and tie 1-1 with Australia. As a result, Shenaishil was sacked on April 10, 2017.[52]

Basim Qasim was appointed for the remainder of the qualifiers and Iraq finished fifth in the final round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

The Iraqi national team pose ahead of their 2019 AFC Asian Cup match against Iran in Dubai.

2019 AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

The 2019 Asian Cup draw put Iraq in Group D, with Iran, Vietnam, and Yemen.[53]

On 3 September 2018, Srečko Katanec was appointed as head coach on a three-year contract to lead Iraq in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.[54]

Their first match took place on 8 January 2019 against Vietnam and ended in a 3–2 victory for Iraq.[55] Their second match against Yemen on January 12 ended in a 3–0 victory, with goals coming from Mohanad Ali, Bashar Resan, and Alaa Abbas. In their final group game, Iraq faced Iran on January 16, resulting in a 0–0 draw. With these performances, Iraq finished second in Group D and advanced to the knockout stage.[56]

In the Round of 16, Iraq faced Qatar. Despite their efforts, Iraq suffered a 1–0 defeat, with Bassam Al-Rawi scoring the only goal, ending their journey in the tournament. Qatar later won the tournament.[57]

2020s

[edit]

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

Iraq participated in the second round of the Asian qualifiers. They were placed in Group C alongside Bahrain, Iran, Cambodia, and Hong Kong and reached the final round with five wins from eight matches including a 2–1 victory against Iran.[58]

Iraq went 19 consecutive matches without losing between 2019 and 2021 and moved up from 89th to 68th in the FIFA rankings during Katanec's tenure. Katanec departed in July 2021 after six months of unpaid wages and filed a complaint with FIFA.[citation needed]

On 31 July 2021, Dutchman Dick Advocaat was appointed head coach of Iraq.[59] Under Advocaat, Iraq made to a slow start to the final round of World Cup Qualifiers, drawing four games and losing two, and on 21 November 2021, Advocaat resigned. Željko Petrović took charge of the team for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, where Iraq were eliminated from the group stage. Petrović was sacked after two further winless qualifying games and Abdul-Ghani Shahad was appointed as an interim manager, but Iraq were eliminated after finishing fourth in the group.

2023 AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

Iraq was drawn in Group D, with Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia.[60] On 15 January 2024, Iraq overcame Indonesia 3–1.[61] Four days later, Iraq created the biggest shock in the tournament, stunning Japan (who had been undefeated in the last 11 matches) by beating them 2–1 in the second group match to ensure first place in the group; both Iraq goals were scored by Aymen Hussein.[62] With the outcome confirmed, Iraq largely rotated their squad on the final match against Vietnam, and ended up triumphant 3–2 to make history by earning a perfect record of nine points.[63] However, Iraq suffered a shock defeat in the Round of 16, losing 2–3 to Jordan to exit the tournament. The result was controversial due to a second yellow card shown to Aymen Hussein by the referee for his celebration after he had scored to take a 2–1 lead.[64]

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

[edit]

On 7 November 2022, Jesús Casas was appointed head coach of Iraq to lead the national team until the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[65] In the first tournament under Casas' leadership, Iraq hosted and won the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, beating Oman 3–2 after extra time in the final.[66]

Iraq was placed in Group F of the second round alongside Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia.[67] After four wins in a row against Indonesia, Vietnam and back to back wins against Philippines, Iraq progressed to the next round and qualified for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.[68]

Team image

[edit]

Kit

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Iraq national football team kits.

The Iraqi national football team's traditional home colour is green, while the away colour is white and the third colour is black. Iraq's kits have previously been manufactured by brands such as Puma, Nike, Diadora, Jack & Jones, Lotto, Peak, Givova, Umbro and Adidas. The current kit supplier is Jako.[69][70]

Kit suppliers

[edit]
Kit supplier Period
Umbro 1984–1986, 2007, 2020–2022[71]
Adidas 1986–1994, 2007, 2014, 2024[72]
Puma 1996
Patrick 2000
Jako 2003–2004, 2014–2019, 2022–2023,[73] 2024–present[74]
Jack & Jones 2004–2006
Diadora 2006
Lotto 2006
Peak 2008–2014
Givova 2019–2020

Nickname

[edit]
Lion in ceramic tile from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon

The Iraqi team is commonly known as Usood al-Rafidayn (Arabic: أُسُودُ الرَّافِدَيْن), meaning "Lions of Mesopotamia". In ancient Mesopotamia, the Babylonian lion was a symbol of power, impetuosity, ferocity, prestige and dominance.[75] This is reflected in the sculpted lions in Babylon, where the processional path is ornamented with ceramic tile bas-reliefs representing a prestigious lion from the time of Nebuchadnezzar II. This kind of representation aimed to glorify the king, master of the beasts, and also represent the defeat of the enemy.[76] Moreover, the Chaldean royal inscriptions depict the king as a ferocious lion to whom nothing can be resisted.[77][78][79] The presence of lions in ancient Iraqi civilization was based on the belief, or desire, that the animals represented would bring with them the virtues they symbolized, so that they could be transmitted to the owners.[80]

[edit]

Iraq kits throughout history have usually featured the flag of Iraq on them, although the coat of arms of Iraq and the Iraq Football Association logo have both appeared on kits in the past. The national team has occasionally had its own unique logo, the first of which was from 1982 to 1983. This logo was based on the Iraq flag, with Iraqi written at the top of the crest.[81] From 2000 to 2002, the national team's logo featured a green outline with the word Iraq written at the top in green Arabic text. In the 2005 West Asian Games, the team wore a new logo with the red band of the flag appearing in a large semi-circle shape,[82] and in 2007, Iraq briefly reverted to using the logo that they had used from 2000 to 2002. On 23 October 2020, the national team's current logo was revealed, with a star featuring above the crest to commemorate the nation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup victory.[83]

  • 1982–1983
    1982–1983
  • 2000–2002, 2007
    2000–2002, 2007
  • 2005
    2005
  • 2020–present
    2020–present

Rivalries

[edit]
Main articles: Iran–Iraq football rivalry, Iraq–Saudi Arabia football rivalry, and Iraq–Kuwait football rivalry

Due to its geographical location, Iraq maintains strong rivalries with many neighbours.

Iraq's main and traditional rival has been Iran, and they are often considered to be two of the greatest football teams in the Middle East and Asia with one of the greatest rivalries. At the early stage, Iran had proved to be more dominant than Iraq, remaining undefeated from 1964 until 1993. In the contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations and fought the Iran–Iraq War for eight years.[84][85] Iraqis have considered any matches against Iran as a must-win encounter and are known to treat it differently from any other football matches.[86] Iraq has played 31 matches against Iran with 6 victories, 7 draws, and 18 losses.

Iraq's other rival is Saudi Arabia, and matches between the two teams also draw significant attention from Iraqi fans, with Iraq and Saudi Arabia being recognised as the two most successful Arab teams in Asia. The beginnings of the footballing rivalry between them dates back to the 1970s, but it was only after the 1990s that the rivalry between the two Arab nations truly developed since it was previously overshadowed by Iraq's rivalries with Iran and Kuwait.[87] One of these reasons for the rivalry to develop is due to the bitter Gulf War, where Iraq fought against Saudi Arabia over Kuwait, an ally of Saudi Arabia.[88] These encounters have also been marred with various controversies and hostilities, such as the 21st Arabian Gulf Cup hosting rights, where Iraq was stripped from hosting with the tournament instead being moved to Bahrain, a move which was believed by Iraqis as a deliberate act by Saudi Arabia to remove Iraq's home advantage.[88] Before that, Iraq was also banned from hosting home games against Saudi Arabia due to the Gulf War.[88] Iraq has played 40 matches against Saudi Arabia with 18 victories, 11 draws, and 11 losses.

Iraq's rivalry with Kuwait was once considered the greatest football rivalry in the Middle East, until being taken over by Iraq's rivalry with Saudi Arabia due to Kuwait's decline. The rivalry began in the mid-1970s. Because of the Gulf War, Iraq and Kuwait were in complete avoidance and never met for more than 15 years until 2005. Iraq has played 37 matches against Kuwait with 17 victories, 10 draws, and 10 losses.

Supporters

[edit]
Iraqi fans in London celebrating Iraq winning the 2007 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq national team supporters are known for chanting "O Victorious Baghdad" ("منصورة يا بغداد") or "With our souls and our blood, we will redeem you, O Iraq" ("بالروح بالدم نفديك يا عراق") during the Iraqi team's matches.[89]

Another famous chant is "the first goal is coming" ("هسه يجي الاول") which is chanted in the beginning of the match.[90] A succeeding chant is "the second goal is coming" ("هسه يجي الثاني"); this is usually chanted repeatedly after Iraq score a goal to motivate the players to score another.

Home matches in Iraq

[edit]
Basra International Stadium during the second opening friendly match between Al-Zawraa and Zamalek in 2013

Currently, Iraq primarily play their home matches at Basra International Stadium, but have also used various other stadiums around Iraq. Since 1980, FIFA imposed bans on six occasions that prevented Iraq from hosting competitive international games.

The first ban was imposed in 1980 after an Olympic qualifying play-off between Iraq and Kuwait in Baghdad, where the match referee was attacked by enraged home fans and members of the Iraqi team after the Malaysian official's decision to award a match-changing penalty to the Kuwaitis that led to Iraq losing 3–2. The ban was lifted in 1982.[91]

Around the same time, the Iran–Iraq War started and the ban was imposed again. Iraq played their qualifying home games at a neutral venue and still qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, and three Olympic Games (Moscow, Los Angeles and Seoul). The ban was lifted in 1988, when the war ended.

In 1990, FIFA banned Iraq from hosting matches due to the Gulf War, a restriction that lasted until 1995. Iraq resumed hosting home matches during both the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns.

The Iraq War in 2003 forced Iraq to play their home matches outside the country for security reasons, and so home games were held at neutral venues for the next six years. In July 2009, Iraq played on home soil for the first time since the Iraq War, against Palestine in Erbil and Baghdad. The same month, the AFC Executive Committee approved the Franso Hariri Stadium as Iraq's venue for international matches and for clubs in continental tournaments.[92]

On 23 July 2011, Iraq played a FIFA World Cup qualifier on home ground for the first time since 2001, defeating Yemen 2–0 at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. However, FIFA re-imposed the ban on 23 September 2011 due to fears over security and a breach of safety regulations in the qualifying match with Jordan. Between 2013 and 2018, Iraq played various friendlies on home soil – in 2013 against Syria and Liberia in Baghdad, and in 2017 against Jordan, Kenya and Syria in Basra and Karbala. After successfully hosting these friendlies, on 16 March 2018, FIFA announced the lifting of the ban on competitive matches in the three cities.[93][94] The 2018 AFC Cup Final was hosted in Basra,[95] and in the summer of 2019, Iraq hosted the 2019 WAFF Championship.[96]

However, following the outbreak of the 2019 Iraqi protests, FIFA once again imposed competitive home matches ban on Iraq.[97] This meant that Iraq played the remainder of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers at neutral venues.

In 2023, Iraq hosted the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, which was the first time they had hosted the tournament since 1979.[98] Iraq resumed playing official games at home for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, beating Indonesia 5–1 in Basra.[99]

Results and fixtures

[edit]
Main article: Iraq national football team results
Further information: Iraq national football team results (2020–present)

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2024

[edit]
6 January Friendly South Korea  1–0  Iraq Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
17:00 UTC+4
Report Stadium: New York University Stadium
Attendance: 100
Referee: Yahya Ali Al-Mulla (United Arab Emirates)
15 January 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Indonesia  1–3  Iraq Al Rayyan, Qatar
17:30 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
Attendance: 16,532
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
19 January 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Iraq  2–1  Japan Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Education City Stadium
Attendance: 38,663
Referee: Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
24 January 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Iraq  3–2  Vietnam Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
Attendance: 8,932
Referee: Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)
29 January 2023 AFC Asian Cup R16 Iraq  2–3  Jordan Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Khalifa International Stadium
Attendance: 35,814
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Australia)
21 March 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  1–0  Philippines Basra, Iraq
22:00 UTC+3
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)		 Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 63,750
Referee: Abdullah Jamali (Kuwait)
26 March 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Philippines  0–5  Iraq Manila, Philippines
19:00 UTC+8 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Stadium: Rizal Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 10,014
Referee: Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)
6 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Indonesia  0–2  Iraq Jakarta, Indonesia
16:00 UTC+7 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Stadium: Gelora Bung Karno Stadium
Attendance: 60,245
Referee: Shaun Evans (Australia)
11 June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  3–1  Vietnam Basra, Iraq
21:00 UTC+3
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 42,791
Referee: Omar Al-Ali (United Arab Emirates)
5 September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  1–0  Oman Basra, Iraq
19:00 UTC+3 Hussein 13' Report Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 63,720
Referee: Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
10 September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Kuwait  0–0  Iraq Kuwait City, Kuwait
21:00 UTC+3 Report Stadium: Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium
Attendance: 58,000
Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)
10 October 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  1–0  Palestine Basra, Iraq
21:00 UTC+3
Report Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 44,773
Referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)
15 October 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification South Korea  3–2  Iraq Yongin, South Korea
20:00 UTC+9
Report
Stadium: Yongin Mireu Stadium
Attendance: 35,198
Referee: Rustam Lutfullin (Uzbekistan)
14 November 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  0–0  Jordan Basra, Iraq
19:15 UTC+3 Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 65,000
Referee: Mohammed Al Hoish (Saudi Arabia)
19 November 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Oman  0–1  Iraq Muscat, Oman
20:00 UTC+4 Report
Stadium: Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat
Referee: Omar Mohamed Al Ali (United Arab Emirates)
22 December 26th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  1–0  Yemen Kuwait City, Kuwait
17:25 UTC+3 Hussein 64' Stadium: Sulaibikhat Stadium
Attendance: 7,203
Referee: Abdulrahman Al-Jassim (Qatar)
25 December 26th Arabian Gulf Cup Bahrain  2–0  Iraq Kuwait City, Kuwait
20:30 UTC+3 Madan 38', 47' Stadium: Jaber International Stadium
Attendance: 13,150
Referee: Halil Umut Meler (Turkey)
28 December 26th Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq  1–3  Saudi Arabia Kuwait City, Kuwait
17:30 UTC+3 Ali 64'
Stadium: Jaber International Stadium
Attendance: 54,942
Referee: István Kovács (Romania)

All-time results

[edit]
Main article: Iraq national football team results
As of 29 January 2024.

Coaching staff

[edit]
Main article: List of Iraq national football team managers

As of 6 November 2022.[100]

Position Name
Head coach Spain Jesús Casas
Assistant coaches Spain Alejandro Varela
Spain Salva Romero
Goalkeeping coach Spain David Valle
Fitness coach Spain Manuel Salado
Match analyst Spain Isidre Ramón Madir
Physiotherapist Spain Alejandro Rosselló Almagro
Chief medical officer Iraq Abdul Karim Al-Saffar
Team doctor Iraq Mohammed Nassif
Team manager Iraq Mahdi Karim
Media coordinator Iraq Mohammed Imad Zubair
Interpreter Egypt Mohammad Abdul Hafidh
Security coordinator Iraq Omar Kadhim
Kitman Iraq Haqi Ibrahim

Players

[edit]
For all past and present players who have appeared for the national team, see List of Iraq international footballers.

Current squad

[edit]

The following 26 players were called up for the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup from 21 December 2024 to 3 January 2025.[101]

Caps and goals correct as of 28 December 2024, after the game against  Saudi Arabia.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Kumel Al-Rekabe (2004-08-19) 19 August 2004 (age 20) 0 0 Spain Leganés B
12 1GK Jalal Hassan (captain) (1991-05-18) 18 May 1991 (age 33) 90 0 Iraq Al-Zawraa
22 1GK Mohammad Hassan (2002-04-01) 1 April 2002 (age 22) 0 0 Denmark Ishøj
2 2DF Rebin Sulaka (1992-04-12) 12 April 1992 (age 32) 48 1 Switzerland Schaffhausen
3 2DF Mohanad Jeahze (1997-04-10) 10 April 1997 (age 27) 5 0 Norway Lillestrøm
4 2DF Manaf Younis (1996-11-16) 16 November 1996 (age 28) 22 1 Iraq Al-Shorta
5 2DF Ali Faez (1994-09-09) 9 September 1994 (age 30) 50 4 Iraq Al-Najaf
6 2DF Ali Adnan (1993-12-19) 19 December 1993 (age 31) 95 7 Saudi Arabia Al-Najma
15 2DF Mustafa Saadoon (2001-05-25) 25 May 2001 (age 23) 10 0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
23 2DF Ahmed Maknzi (2001-09-24) 24 September 2001 (age 23) 2 0 Iraq Al-Najaf
24 2DF Adam Rasheed (2006-07-10) 10 July 2006 (age 18) 0 0 Slovenia Maribor
25 2DF Zaid Tahseen (2001-01-29) 29 January 2001 (age 23) 17 1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
8 3MF Ibrahim Bayesh (2000-05-01) 1 May 2000 (age 24) 63 7 Saudi Arabia Al-Riyadh
9 3MF Ahmed Yasin (1991-04-22) 22 April 1991 (age 33) 71 6 Sweden Örebro
11 3MF Zidane Iqbal (2003-04-27) 27 April 2003 (age 21) 17 1 Netherlands Utrecht
14 3MF Amjad Attwan (1997-03-12) 12 March 1997 (age 27) 85 4 Iraq Zakho
16 3MF Amir Al-Ammari (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 27) 38 2 Poland Cracovia
17 3MF Ali Jasim (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 20) 22 2 Italy Como
19 3MF Youssef Amyn (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 21) 17 2 Saudi Arabia Al-Wehda
20 3MF Peter Gwargis (2000-09-04) 4 September 2000 (age 24) 2 0 Iraq Duhok
21 3MF Marko Farji (2004-03-16) 16 March 2004 (age 20) 2 0 Norway Strømsgodset
26 3MF Lucas Shlimon (2003-02-15) 15 February 2003 (age 21) 3 0 Sweden Örebro
7 4FW Ali Yousif (1996-01-19) 19 January 1996 (age 28) 3 0 Iraq Al-Zawraa
10 4FW Mohanad Ali (2000-06-20) 20 June 2000 (age 24) 56 21 Iraq Al-Shorta
13 4FW Amin Al-Hamawi (2003-12-17) 17 December 2003 (age 21) 3 0 Sweden Sandviken
18 4FW Aymen Hussein (1996-03-22) 22 March 1996 (age 28) 84 31 Qatar Al-Khor

Recent call-ups

[edit]

The following players have been called up within the last 12 months and remain eligible for selection.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Fahad Talib (1994-10-21) 21 October 1994 (age 30) 19 0 Iraq Al-Talaba v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
GK Ahmed Basil (1996-08-19) 19 August 1996 (age 28) 7 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
GK Hussein Hassan (2003-10-05) 5 October 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Iraq Al-Karkh v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
GK Ali Kadhim (1996-11-04) 4 November 1996 (age 28) 0 0 Iraq Zakho v.  Kuwait, 10 September 2024
GK Mohammed Saleh (1995-05-01) 1 May 1995 (age 29) 0 0 Iraq Duhok v.  Philippines, 26 March 2024
DF Halo Fayaq (2001-05-23) 23 May 2001 (age 23) 0 0 Iraq Erbil 26th Arabian Gulf CupINJ
DF Merchas Doski (1999-12-07) 7 December 1999 (age 25) 20 0 Czech Republic Viktoria Plzeň 26th Arabian Gulf CupCLB
DF Hussein Ali (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 22) 18 1 Netherlands Heerenveen v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
DF Ahmed Yahya (1997-05-27) 27 May 1997 (age 27) 9 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
DF Frans Putros (1993-07-14) 14 July 1993 (age 31) 20 0 Thailand Port v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
DF Saad Natiq (1994-03-19) 19 March 1994 (age 30) 39 1 Iraq Al-Talaba v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
DF Hassan Raed (2000-09-23) 23 September 2000 (age 24) 11 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Palestine, 10 October 2024INJ
DF Akam Hashim (1998-08-16) 16 August 1998 (age 26) 1 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
DF Dhurgham Ismail (1994-05-23) 23 May 1994 (age 30) 71 4 Bahrain Al-Khaldiya v.  Philippines, 26 March 2024
DF Allan Mohideen (1993-11-11) 11 November 1993 (age 31) 3 0 Sweden Utsikten 2023 AFC Asian Cup
MF Saad Abdul-Amir (1992-01-19) 19 January 1992 (age 32) 86 4 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 26th Arabian Gulf CupINJ
MF Mohamed Al-Taay (2000-06-15) 15 June 2000 (age 24) 3 0 New Zealand Wellington Phoenix v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
MF Montader Madjed (2005-04-24) 24 April 2005 (age 19) 3 0 Sweden Hammarby v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
MF Danilo Al-Saed (1999-02-24) 24 February 1999 (age 25) 5 0 Netherlands Heerenveen v.  Jordan, 14 November 2024WD
MF Louaï El Ani (1997-07-12) 12 July 1997 (age 27) 4 0 Iraq Al-Talaba v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
MF Safaa Hadi (1998-10-14) 14 October 1998 (age 26) 40 1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
MF Osama Rashid (1992-01-17) 17 January 1992 (age 32) 38 2 Iraq Erbil v.  Palestine, 10 October 2024INJ
MF Mohammed Qasim (1996-12-06) 6 December 1996 (age 28) 24 2 Iraq Al-Najaf v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
MF Hasan Abdulkareem (1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 25) 13 1 Iraq Al-Zawraa v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
MF Hiran Ahmed (2000-04-06) 6 April 2000 (age 24) 3 0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
MF Bashar Resan (1996-12-22) 22 December 1996 (age 28) 64 4 Uzbekistan Pakhtakor v.  Vietnam, 11 June 2024
MF Abdulrazzaq Qasim (2003-02-19) 19 February 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Philippines, 26 March 2024
MF Ahmad Allée (1996-04-29) 29 April 1996 (age 28) 4 0 France Rouen 2023 AFC Asian Cup
FW Ali Al-Hamadi (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 22) 14 3 England Ipswich Town v.  Oman, 19 November 2024CLB
FW Pashang Abdulla (1994-05-29) 29 May 1994 (age 30) 3 0 Iraq Duhok v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE

SUS Player suspended
INJ Player injured
PRE Player was named in preliminary squad
CLB Player refused by club or unable to attend due to club committments
RET Player retired from the national team
WD Player withdrew for non-injury related reasons

Records

[edit]
Main article: Iraq national football team records and statistics
See also: List of Iraq international footballers
As of 28 December 2024.[102]
Players in bold are still active with Iraq.

Most appearances

[edit]
Younis Mahmoud is Iraq's all-time most capped player, having played in 148 official matches.
Rank Player Caps Goals Career
1 Younis Mahmoud 148 57 2002–2016
2 Hussein Saeed 137 78 1976–1990
3 Alaa Abdul-Zahra 126 17 2007–2021
4 Adnan Dirjal 121 8 1978–1990
Ahmed Radhi 121 62 1982–1997
6 Ahmed Ibrahim 118 5 2010–2022
7 Hawar Mulla Mohammed 113 20 2001–2012
Nashat Akram 113 17 2001–2013
Ali Rehema 113 2 2005–2016
10 Mahdi Karim 110 11 2001–2018

Top goalscorers

[edit]
Hussein Saeed is Iraq's all-time leading goalscorer, having scored 78 goals in 137 official matches.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Hussein Saeed (list) 78 137 0.57 1976–1990
2 Ahmed Radhi 62 121 0.51 1982–1997
3 Younis Mahmoud 57 148 0.39 2002–2016
4 Ali Kadhim 35 82 0.43 1970–1980
5 Aymen Hussein 31 84 0.37 2015–present
6 Falah Hassan 29 103 0.28 1970–1986
7 Emad Mohammed 27 103 0.26 2001–2012
8 Razzaq Farhan 25 62 0.4 1998–2007
9 Mohanad Ali 21 56 0.38 2017–present
Laith Hussein 21 80 0.26 1986–2002

Competitive record

[edit]
For the all-time record of the national team against opposing nations, see Iraq national football team records and statistics.


FIFA World Cup

[edit]
Main article: Iraq at the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup history
Year Round Score Result
1986 Group stage
 Iraq 0–1  Paraguay Loss
 Iraq 1–2  Belgium Loss
 Iraq 0–1  Mexico Loss

AFC Asian Cup

[edit]
Main article: Iraq at the AFC Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup history
Year Round Score Result
1972 Group allocation matches
 Iraq 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p)  South Korea Draw
Group stage
 Iraq 0–3  Iran Loss
 Iraq 1–1  Thailand Draw
1976 Group stage
 Iraq 0–2  Iran Loss
 Iraq 1–0  South Yemen Win
Semi-finals
 Iraq 2–3 (a.e.t.)  Kuwait Loss
Third place
 Iraq 0–1  China Loss
1996 Group stage
 Iraq 2–1  Iran Win
 Iraq 0–1  Saudi Arabia Loss
 Iraq 4–1  Thailand Win
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 0–1 (a.e.t.)  United Arab Emirates Loss
2000 Group stage
 Iraq 2–0  Thailand Win
 Iraq 2–2  Lebanon Draw
 Iraq 0–1  Iran Loss
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 1–4  Japan Loss
2004 Group stage
 Iraq 0–1  Uzbekistan Loss
 Iraq 3–2  Turkmenistan Win
 Iraq 2–1  Saudi Arabia Win
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 0–3  China Loss
2007 Group stage
 Iraq 1–1  Thailand Draw
 Iraq 3–1  Australia Win
 Iraq 0–0  Oman Draw
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 2–0  Vietnam Win
Semi-finals
 Iraq 0–0 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p)  South Korea Draw
Final
 Iraq 1–0  Saudi Arabia Win
2011 Group stage
 Iraq 1–2  Iran Loss
 Iraq 1–0  United Arab Emirates Win
 Iraq 1–0  North Korea Win
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 0–1 (a.e.t.)  Australia Loss
2015 Group stage
 Iraq 1–0  Jordan Win
 Iraq 0–1  Japan Loss
 Iraq 2–0  Palestine Win
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 3–3 (a.e.t.) (7–6 p)  Iran Draw
Semi-finals
 Iraq 0–2  South Korea Loss
Third place
 Iraq 2–3  United Arab Emirates Loss
2019 Group stage
 Iraq 3–2  Vietnam Win
 Iraq 3–0  Yemen Win
 Iraq 0–0  Iran Draw
Round of 16
 Iraq 0–1  Qatar Loss
2023 Group stage
 Iraq 3–1  Indonesia Win
 Iraq 2–1  Japan Win
 Iraq 3–2  Vietnam Win
Round of 16
 Iraq 2–3  Jordan Loss

FIFA Confederations Cup

[edit]
FIFA Confederations Cup history
Year Round Score Result
2009 Group stage
 Iraq 0–0  South Africa Draw
 Iraq 0–1  Spain Loss
 Iraq 0–0  New Zealand Draw

Summer Olympics

[edit]
Main article: Football at the Summer Olympics
Summer Olympics history
Year Round Score Result
1980 Group stage
 Iraq 3–0  Costa Rica Win
 Iraq 0–0  Finland Draw
 Iraq 1–1  Yugoslavia Draw
Quarterfinals
 Iraq 0–4  East Germany Loss
1984 Group stage
 Iraq 1–1  Canada Draw
 Iraq 0–1  Cameroon Loss
 Iraq 2–4  Yugoslavia Loss
1988 Group stage
 Iraq 2–2  Zambia Draw
 Iraq 3–0  Guatemala Win
 Iraq 0–2  Italy Loss
1992–present
See Iraq national under-23 football team

Asian Games

[edit]
Main article: Football at the Asian Games
Asian Games history
Year Round Score Result
1974 First round
 Iraq 3–0  India Win
 Iraq 1–0  North Korea Win
 Iraq 1–0  China Win
Second round
 Iraq 1–1  South Korea Draw
 Iraq 0–0  Malaysia Draw
 Iraq 0–1  Iran Loss
1978 First round
 Iraq 2–1  Qatar Win
 Iraq 2–0  China Win
 Iraq 1–1  Saudi Arabia Draw
Second round
 Iraq 0–1  North Korea Loss
 Iraq 3–0  Kuwait Win
 Iraq 3–0  India Win
Bronze play-off
 Iraq 0–1  China Loss
1982 First round
 Iraq 4–0  Burma Win
 Iraq 3–0    Nepal Win
 Iraq 1–2  Kuwait Loss
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 1–0 (a.e.t.)  Japan Win
Semi-finals
 Iraq 1–0  Saudi Arabia Win
Final
 Iraq 1–0  Kuwait Win
1986 First round
 Iraq 4–0  Oman Win
 Iraq 5–1  Pakistan Win
 Iraq 1–2  United Arab Emirates Loss
 Iraq 2–1  Thailand Win
Quarter-finals
 Iraq 1–1 (a.e.t.) (8–9 p)  Saudi Arabia Draw
2002–present
See Iraq national under-23 football team

Regional competitions

[edit]

WAFF Championship

[edit]

FIFA Arab Cup

[edit]

Arabian Gulf Cup

[edit]

West Asian Games

[edit]

Arab Games

[edit]

Minor tournaments

[edit]


Head-to-head record

[edit]
Main article: Iraq national football team records and statistics

The list shown below shows the Iraq national football team all−time international record against opposing nations.[103][104]

  Positive Record   Neutral Record   Negative Record

As of 28 December 2024 after match against  Saudi Arabia

All friendly and international matches have been approved, except for Olympic matches. A-level matches

Iraq national football team head-to-head records
Team Confederation First GP W D L GF GA GD
 Afghanistan AFC 1975 2 2 0 0 7 1 +6
 Algeria CAF 1973 7 3 2 1 9 3 +6
 Argentina CONMEBOL 2018 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4
 Australia AFC 1973 11 2 2 7 8 14 −6
 Azerbaijan UEFA 2009 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Bahrain AFC 1966 33 13 14 6 46 28 +18
 Belgium UEFA 1986 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1
 Bolivia CONMEBOL 2018 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
 Botswana CAF 2012 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
 Brazil CONMEBOL 2012 1 0 0 1 0 6 −6
 Cambodia AFC 2019 2 2 0 0 8 1 +7
 Chile CONMEBOL 2013 1 0 0 1 0 6 −6
 China AFC 1974 17 9 2 6 20 18 +2
 Chinese Taipei AFC 1974 5 5 0 0 18 3 +15
 Colombia CONMEBOL 2023 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Cyprus UEFA 2005 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1
 DR Congo CAF 2015 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2
 Ecuador CONMEBOL 2022 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
 Egypt CAF 1972 7 0 3 4 1 7 −6
 Estonia UEFA 1999 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
 Ethiopia CAF 1992 1 1 0 0 13 0 +13
 Finland UEFA 1979 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3
 Guinea CAF 1989 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Hong Kong AFC 2019 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3
 India AFC 1974 7 4 3 0 13 4 +9
 Indonesia AFC 1973 10 9 1 0 27 5 +22
 Iran AFC 1962 28 6 6 16 21 37 −16
 Japan AFC 1978 14 4 3 7 12 20 −8
 Jordan AFC 1964 53 27 15 11 75 52 +23
 Kazakhstan UEFA 1997 4 0 2 2 4 7 −3
 Kenya CAF 2003 2 2 0 0 4 1 +2
 Kyrgyzstan AFC 1999 2 2 0 0 9 1 +8
 Kuwait AFC 1964 37 16 11 10 48 38 +10
 Liberia CAF 2013 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Lebanon AFC 1959 18 9 8 1 24 9 +15
 Libya CAF 1964 11 7 3 1 17 6 +11
 Macau AFC 2001 2 2 0 0 13 0 +13
 Malaysia AFC 1974 7 4 3 0 12 3 +9
 Mauritania CAF 1985 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2
 Mexico CONCACAF 1986 2 0 0 2 0 5 −5
 Moldova UEFA 1992 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Morocco CAF 1966 7 2 4 1 6 3 +3
 Myanmar AFC 2003 4 4 0 0 13 0 +7
 North Korea AFC 1974 9 6 1 2 11 5 +6
   Nepal AFC 1982 4 4 0 0 22 5 +17
 New Zealand OFC 1973 3 2 1 0 6 0 +6
 Oman AFC 1976 30 15 9 6 51 25 +26
 Pakistan AFC 1969 9 7 1 1 40 6 +34
 Paraguay CONMEBOL 1986 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Palestine AFC 2002 17 14 3 0 38 6 +32
 Peru CONMEBOL 2014 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2
 Philippines AFC 2024 2 2 0 0 6 0 +6
 Poland UEFA 1970 5 1 2 2 3 7 −4
 Qatar AFC 1976 33 15 10 8 41 31 +10
 Romania UEFA 1970 2 0 2 0 1 1 0
 Russia UEFA 2023 1 0 0 1 0 2 –2
 Saudi Arabia AFC 1976 37 17 9 11 56 34 +22
 Sierra Leone CAF 2012 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Singapore AFC 1978 6 5 0 1 20 5 +15
 South Africa CAF 2009 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
 South Korea AFC 1972 21 1 12 8 15 27 −12
 Spain UEFA 2009 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Sudan CAF 2012 2 0 2 0 3 3 0
 Syria AFC 1966 33 17 11 5 46 25 +20
 Tajikistan AFC 1999 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1
 Thailand AFC 1972 18 10 6 2 47 20 +27
 Trinidad and Tobago CONCACAF 1972 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2
 Tunisia CAF 1957 7 0 3 4 4 10 −6
 Turkey UEFA 1969 3 0 1 2 1 8 –7
 Turkmenistan AFC 1999 2 2 0 0 6 2 +4
 Uganda CAF 1977 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1
 United Arab Emirates AFC 1973 30 11 12 7 43 29 +14
 Uzbekistan AFC 1997 11 3 3 5 8 10 -2
 Vietnam AFC 2007 7 6 1 0 14 6 +8
 Yemen AFC 1993 15 12 3 0 36 7 +29
 Zambia CAF 2022 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2
Total 733 348 206 179 1177 678 +499
Last match updated was against  Saudi Arabia Yemen on 22 December 2024.


FIFA Rankings

[edit]

Last update was on 26 November 2023.
Source:[105]

  Best Ranking    Worst Ranking    Best Mover    Worst Mover  

Iraq's FIFA World Ranking
Rank Year Games
Played 		Best Worst
Rank Move Rank Move
63 2023 14 63 Increase 5 70 Decrease 2
68 2022 11 68 Increase 2 74 Decrease 0
75 2021 17 68 Increase 1 75 Decrease 3
69 2020 2 69 Increase 1 70 Decrease 0
70 2019 22 70 Increase 8 80 Decrease 2
88 2018 12 82 Increase 2 91 Decrease 5
79 2017 14 79 Increase 17 122 Decrease 3
119 2016 12 87 Increase 15 128 Decrease 15
89 2015 16 82 Increase 20 114 Decrease 11
103 2014 11 81 Increase 15 115 Decrease 23
110 2013 19 89 Increase 3 110 Decrease 6
92 2012 20 70 Increase 6 97 Decrease 17
78 2011 20 78 Increase 16 109 Decrease 13
100 2010 15 80 Increase 13 107 Decrease 24
88 2009 13 77 Increase 9 100 Decrease 17
72 2008 12 58 Increase 15 77 Decrease 18
68 2007 20 64 Increase 16 84 Decrease 5
83 2006 14 52 Increase 5 92 Decrease 36
54 2005 10 44 Increase 20 74 Decrease 11
44 2004 21 39 Increase 3 45 Decrease 6
43 2003 12 43 Increase 23 75 Decrease 13
53 2002 10 50 Increase 9 72 Decrease 3
72 2001 18 69 Increase 16 85 Decrease 4
79 2000 11 78 Increase 9 89 Decrease 8
78 1999 13 78 Increase 16 108 Decrease 5
94 1998 1 70 Increase 7 101 Decrease 13
68 1997 9 68 Increase 13 98 Decrease 2
98 1996 7 98 Increase 31 139 Decrease 15
110 1995 3 76 Increase 26 110 Decrease 28
88 1994 0 61 Increase 4 88 Decrease 8
65 1993 15 57 Increase 25 66 Decrease 5

Honours

[edit]
This is a list of honours for the senior Iraq national team
Iraq's starting line-up against Saudi Arabia in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup Final, a match they won 1–0.

Continental

[edit]

Regional

[edit]

Friendly

[edit]

Awards

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 19 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  2. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
  3. ^ "Iraq 2-0 Hong Kong: Iraq hosts competitive football for first time in eight years". BBC. 10 October 2019.
  4. ^ Peter, Ashish (30 December 2018). "AFC Asian Cup 2019: Group D Preview - Iran, Iraq, Vietnam and Yemen". Goal.com.
  5. ^ "Iraq celebrates Gulf Cup football win as it returns to hosting international tournaments". Middle East Eye. 20 January 2023.
  6. ^ "A united Iraq to face down Japan in Asian Cup". SBS News. 14 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Arab Cup an opportunity for all Arabs: Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sports". Gulf Times. 27 April 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Mubarak, Hassanin (21 March 2013). "Iraqi Football History". IraqSport. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2016.
  9. ^ George, George (17 April 1951). "Iraq Select gives C.C. a dizzy game". The Iraq Times.
  10. ^ "Iraq and Morocco draw 3–3". The Iraq Times. 21 October 1957.
  11. ^ "Trophy Cabinet". Archived from the original on 11 September 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
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