The Iraqi national team players received a huge public and popular welcome on Saturday, after qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 40 years following their 2-1 victory over Bolivia in the World Cup play-off final last Wednesday.
Iraqi national team players parade through the streets of Baghdad in an open-top bus to celebrate qualifying for the World Cup.
The Iraqi News Agency reported that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani received the national team delegation upon their arrival in the country last night, and immediately ordered a popular reception for the delegation via an open-top bus that departed from Freedom Square today, in order to allow the fans to celebrate and rejoice in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals.
The Iraqi national team's page on the "X" platform posted several pictures and videos of the team's players dancing and singing on the open-top bus, while the fans responded by chanting "With our souls, with our blood, we will sacrifice ourselves for you, Iraq."
Also on the bus was Adnan Darjal, the president of the Iraqi Football Association, and video footage showed him celebrating with the players and greeting the crowds gathered in the streets of Baghdad.
Iraq successfully navigated a long, multi-stage journey spanning 21 matches, including a thrilling 3-2 aggregate victory over the UAE in Basra, to secure a place in the global play-off for Asia.
Iraq became the 48th team to qualify for the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, where it will play in Group 9, which includes France, Senegal and Norway, in the competition scheduled to take place between June 11 and July 19.
Iraq’s previous and only participation in the World Cup was in 1986 in Mexico when it lost all three of its group stage matches.
