COACH GRAHAM ARNOLD challenged his team to “shock the world” after Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental play-off in Mexico on Tuesday.
Iraq, whose preparations were disrupted by the war in the Middle East, sealed their first appearance at the finals in 40 years and will play in Group I against France, Senegal and Norway.
Goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein secured a famous win for Iraq, whose last appearance at the World Cup came at the 1986 finals in Mexico.
“With everything going on in the Middle East at the moment it made it harder for the players,” said the Australian Arnold, who had initially sought to have the fixture postponed due to the disruption caused by the conflict.
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“Delighted for the players, very good boys, very happy for the 46 million Iraqis,” he added.
“Hopefully it will help change the perception of Iraq and the football in Iraq. Doing something in the World Cup nobody expects us to do.
“Let’s shock the world.”
Because of travel disruption caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, most of the Iraqi squad only reached Mexico after a gruelling three‑day journey from Baghdad that began with an overland crossing into Jordan.
Elsewhere, the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in an intercontinental playoff on Tuesday to seal their first World Cup appearance in 52 years.
Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe scored the game’s only goal at the Akron Stadium near Guadalajara to send the African side to this summer’s finals, where they will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Tuanzebe bundled in a close-range finish from an in-swinging corner in the 100th minute to settle a lacklustre game played in hot and humid conditions.
The goal completes a dramatic qualification campaign for the Leopards, who eliminated African football giants Nigeria and Cameroon on their way to Tuesday’s playoff in Mexico.
It means the central African nation will be playing at the World Cup for the first time since the 1974 finals in West Germany, when the team competed as Zaire and were beaten by Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil.
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Iraq and DR Congo book final two places at the World Cup
COACH GRAHAM ARNOLD challenged his team to “shock the world” after Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental play-off in Mexico on Tuesday.
Iraq, whose preparations were disrupted by the war in the Middle East, sealed their first appearance at the finals in 40 years and will play in Group I against France, Senegal and Norway.
Goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein secured a famous win for Iraq, whose last appearance at the World Cup came at the 1986 finals in Mexico.
“With everything going on in the Middle East at the moment it made it harder for the players,” said the Australian Arnold, who had initially sought to have the fixture postponed due to the disruption caused by the conflict.
“Delighted for the players, very good boys, very happy for the 46 million Iraqis,” he added.
“Hopefully it will help change the perception of Iraq and the football in Iraq. Doing something in the World Cup nobody expects us to do.
“Let’s shock the world.”
Because of travel disruption caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, most of the Iraqi squad only reached Mexico after a gruelling three‑day journey from Baghdad that began with an overland crossing into Jordan.
Elsewhere, the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Jamaica 1-0 after extra time in an intercontinental playoff on Tuesday to seal their first World Cup appearance in 52 years.
Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe scored the game’s only goal at the Akron Stadium near Guadalajara to send the African side to this summer’s finals, where they will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K.
Tuanzebe bundled in a close-range finish from an in-swinging corner in the 100th minute to settle a lacklustre game played in hot and humid conditions.
The goal completes a dramatic qualification campaign for the Leopards, who eliminated African football giants Nigeria and Cameroon on their way to Tuesday’s playoff in Mexico.
It means the central African nation will be playing at the World Cup for the first time since the 1974 finals in West Germany, when the team competed as Zaire and were beaten by Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil.
– © AFP 2026
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