The Iraqi national team succeeded in achieving a new historical achievement after securing qualification to the 2026 World Cup finals, following their deserved victory over the Bolivian national team with a score of (2-1) in the match held in the Mexican city of Monterrey, within the final of the global playoff qualifying for the World Cup.

This qualification marks the end of a long absence from the world's largest football event, as the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' return to the global tournament after their sole participation in the 1986 edition, which also took place in Mexico, in a historical coincidence reflecting a new beginning from the same land nearly four decades later.

With this victory, the Iraqi team completed the lineup of the 48 teams qualified for the 2026 World Cup finals, securing the last spot deservedly after a long and challenging journey in the qualifiers and playoffs.

Iraq will compete in the tournament within a strong group that includes teams from France, Portugal, and Norway, in one of the toughest groups, which will require high technical and physical readiness to compete and achieve positive results worthy of the name of Iraqi football.

The Iraqi team also became the eighth Arab team to qualify for the World Cup, alongside the teams of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Jordan, and Qatar, in a distinguished Arab participation reflecting the development of football in the region.

Iraq's gains were not limited to the technical side only, but also extended to include significant financial returns, as the Iraqi Football Association will receive a financial reward of 10.5 million dollars from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), in recognition of reaching the finals.

According to the financial system adopted by FIFA, the Iraqi team will also receive an amount of 1.5 million dollars as an initial contribution before the tournament begins, to cover the expenses of preparations, camps, and travel, providing the technical and administrative staff with more space to organize the preparation program optimally.