Country profile
Iraq
Republic of Iraq
Key facts
Capital
Baghdad
Population
43,500,000
Confederation
AFC
FIFA code
IRQ
Overview
Iraq, the cradle of civilization between the Tigris and Euphrates, is a nation whose modern story has been defined by resilience. From the ancient cities of Babylon and Ur to the bustling streets of Baghdad, football has remained a unifying thread through decades of turbulence.
The sport transcends Iraq's ethnic and sectarian lines — when the national team plays, Arabs, Kurds, Sunni and Shia alike rally behind the same red, white and black. Few nations channel hope into their footballers quite like Iraq.
Football culture
Football is the undisputed national obsession, with rabid support for Baghdad giants Al-Shorta, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Zawraa. Street football thrives despite hardship, and the 2007 Asian Cup triumph remains an almost sacred moment of national unity.
World Cup history
Iraq's sole World Cup appearance came in 1986 in Mexico, where they lost all three group matches but competed respectably. They have since become an Asian heavyweight, winning the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, but had repeatedly fallen short of returning to the global stage until now.
Location
Did you know
- The 2007 Asian Cup win came amid immense domestic turmoil, sparking nationwide celebrations.
- Iraq's home matches were long played abroad due to security and infrastructure concerns.
- The Tigris and Euphrates rivers gave birth to the world's earliest written records.
- Striker Aymen Hussein is among Iraq's most prolific modern marksmen.
- The 'Lions of Mesopotamia' draw players from a fast-growing European diaspora.
From Wikipedia
Republic of Iraq fields one of the 48 national teams contesting the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Source: Wikipedia →