Saudi Arabia Qualifies for the 2026 World Cup at Iraq's Expense

The Saudi national team successfully secured its qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals, despite a goalless draw with the Iraqi team in the match that took place on Tuesday evening at the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, as part of the concluding round of the Asian playoff for the World Cup.

The match was filled with excitement and competitiveness from the very first minutes, as both teams exchanged control in front of a large audience, and the game witnessed dangerous chances from both sides, the most notable being a shot by Saud Abdulhamid in the 47th minute that went just past the post.

French coach Hervé Renard relied on a strong lineup led by the trio of Salem Al-Dawsari, Firas Al-Braikan, and Saleh Abu Shamait in the attack, supported by a balanced midfield that included Nasser Al-Dawsari, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, and Musab Al-Juwair.

On the other hand, the Iraqi team attempted to threaten the goal of Nawaf Al-Aqidi on several occasions, through the movements of Zaidan Iqbal and Mirkhass Doski, but the excellent defensive organization led by Hassan Tambakti and Jihad Dhakri thwarted all attempts.

The final minutes witnessed significant excitement after a series of substitutions made by Renard to energize the attacking side, with the introduction of Abdullah Al-Hamdan and Nawaf Al-Bushal, but the Iraqi defense held firm until the final whistle, which announced the goalless draw.

With this result, the Saudi team raised its points tally to four, ensuring its official qualification for the 2026 World Cup, benefiting from its previous victory over Indonesia by three goals to two in the first round of the Asian playoff.

After the end of the match, the players of the Green team and the coaching staff celebrated with the fans who filled the stands, in a scene that confirms the continuation of the Saudi national team's successful journey in the qualifiers and its seventh appearance in the World Cup history.