Iraq has officially secured its place as the final nation to qualify for the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This momentous achievement came after their decisive victory over Bolivia in the thrilling Path B inter-confederation playoff for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. The crucial match unfolded at the Monterrey Stadium in Mexico on early Wednesday morning.
The contest saw Iraq seize an early advantage, with Ali Al-Hamadi finding the back of the net in the 10th minute, putting them in the lead. However, Bolivia demonstrated their resolve, with Moises Paniagua successfully equalizing in the 38th minute, ensuring the first half concluded with a tight scoreline.
As the second half commenced, the intensity of the match remained palpable. Iraq, determined to clinch their qualification, managed to regain their lead in the 53rd minute through a superb goal from Aymen Hussein. This 2-1 scoreline proved to be insurmountable for Bolivia, holding firm until the final whistle and igniting celebrations for the Iraqi squad and their supporters.
With this historic qualification, Iraq is now poised to compete in Group I of the 2026 World Cup. They will face a challenging but exciting journey as they are set to battle against football powerhouses France, the formidable squad of Senegal, and the resilient team from Norway.
Full List of 2026 World Cup Participants
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Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic.
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Group B: Canada, Bosnia, Qatar, Switzerland.
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Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland.
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Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey.
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Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador.
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Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia.
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Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand.
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Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway.
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Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan.
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Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia.
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Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama.
Summary
Irak secara resmi mengamankan tempat terakhir untuk Piala Dunia FIFA 2026 yang akan diselenggarakan bersama oleh Amerika Serikat, Meksiko, dan Kanada. Pencapaian penting ini diraih setelah kemenangan menentukan mereka 2-1 atas Bolivia dalam playoff antar-konfederasi Jalur B yang mendebarkan di Stadion Monterrey.
Dengan kualifikasi bersejarah ini, Irak kini akan berkompetisi di Grup I, menghadapi Prancis, Senegal, dan Norwegia. Artikel tersebut juga menyajikan daftar lengkap 48 negara peserta Piala Dunia 2026 beserta pembagian grup mereka.