After 40 Years of Absence, Iraq's Lions Prepare for Kickoff Against Norway

After a four-decade wait, Iraq returns to the World Cup stage. The Lions of Mesopotamia will begin their journey in the 2026 World Cup early Wednesday with a challenging match against Norway, as part of the first round of Group Nine.

The match will be held at the famous Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, within Norfolk County. The kickoff is at 1 AM Baghdad and Mecca time, marking Iraq's first global appearance since the 1986 Mexico World Cup.

The technical staff, led by Australian Graham Arnold, has officially completed the team's preparatory program. The final training session saw the final touches on the tactical plan and the distribution of tasks.

Despite the difficulty of the task against a team boasting stars like Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, the ambition of the Lions of Mesopotamia is clear: to return with a positive result, and victory is not ruled out in the calculations of the technical staff.

Arnold seeks an honorable appearance that reflects Iraq's identity. The focus is on defensive discipline and quick transitions, utilizing the experience of players who play professionally in Europe to unlock the Vikings' code.

Morale is high within the camp, and the message to the players is: this is the beginning of the road, and any point from the opener is worth a lot in a group that also includes France and Senegal.

On the other side, the Norwegian team has completed its final preparations for the meeting. The Vikings, led by Ståle Solbakken, entered the camp with great seriousness, aware that facing a team returning to the World Cup after 40 years will not be easy. They have the most dangerous attacking weapons in the qualifiers, but they respect Iraq's ambition and spirit of return.