Iraq is experiencing a wave of overwhelming joy after the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' secured a ticket to the 2026 World Cup for the second time in their history, following a 2-1 victory over Bolivia in the global playoff final early Wednesday morning.

As soon as the referee blew the final whistle in Monterrey, crowds poured into the streets of Baghdad and cities in the north and south, in a scene reminiscent of the major joyful moments absent since the 1986 Mexico World Cup.

In a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the government decided to delay the official start time for state employees today to nine in the morning instead of eight, to allow them to watch the anticipated match against Bolivia.

The council also approved substantial rewards for the national team players after the achievement, especially since the team's camps, travels, and matches were mostly funded by the government.

After the victory, the government issued a new decision to suspend official work today and tomorrow, Thursday, in celebration of the qualification, while the streets were filled with celebrating crowds despite the atmosphere of sadness that overshadowed large sectors of Iraqis due to the current situation, but the joy was stronger and continued until late hours.

The capital witnessed a severe traffic jam due to the large number of cars that came out to celebrate, with Iraqi flags fluttering at every corner. National songs and chants rose in the squares, while passersby exchanged congratulations as if the holiday had come twice.

Sources told 'winwin' that the government, in coordination with the Iraqi Football Association, intends to provide an open-top bus for the team to tour the streets of Baghdad after returning from Monterrey, aiming to bring the players closer to the public and collectively celebrate the achievement after a tough journey in the qualifiers and the Asian and global playoffs.

The sources added that the association received numerous calls from companies and businessmen to honor the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' delegation upon its arrival, in an atmosphere expected to mimic the Gulf 25 celebrations in Basra.