Numbers favour Iraq ahead of friendly against Lebanon

Basra is preparing to open a new chapter in the historic football encounters between the Iraqi national team and their Lebanese counterparts, as the two teams clash tomorrow evening, Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Basra International Stadium, Al-Basra Palm, in the opening of the Basra Four-Nation Friendly Tournament.

Before the starting whistle, the language of numbers and historical records reveals a dominant Iraqi superiority and a clear dominance of the Lions of Mesopotamia over decades of direct competition.

International records of direct encounters between Iraq and Lebanon reveal a significant Iraqi advantage in various official tournaments and friendly matches. The two national teams have faced each other in 18 previous international encounters, with the balance clearly tipping in favor of the Iraqi squad according to the following detailed statistics:

Iraq and Lebanon have met in 16 previous matches across different competitions, with Iraq achieving 8 victories compared to just one win for Lebanon, while the teams have drawn 7 times. Iraq has scored a total of 19 goals, while Lebanon has only netted 9.

The eighteen encounters between the Lions of Mesopotamia and the Cedars have witnessed dramatic moments and unforgettable historical results, highlighting four pivotal moments.

The last official meeting between the two national teams took place on February 1, 2022, when the Sidon International Stadium hosted their match in the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw; Ayman Hussein opened the scoring for Iraq in the 39th minute, before defender Maher Sabra managed to snatch the equaliser for the Lebanese national team in stoppage time of the first half.

The matches between the two national teams featured wide Iraqi victories, the most notable being a clean four-goal win in a friendly match held on August 27, 1999, alongside a significant 4-1 victory in the Asian Cup qualifiers on December 22, 1971.

As local historical records document, there was a resounding Iraqi victory of 8-0 in the capital Baghdad in 1959, during an era that preceded the regular participation of Lebanese football under the umbrella of FIFA.

Lebanon's national team has only one victory in its history against the Lions of Mesopotamia, achieved with a score of 1-0 in a friendly match held in the Lebanese city of Sidon on January 22, 2012. That win remains the only exception in Iraq's long record of dominance.

The match between the two national teams in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup, hosted by Lebanon on October 15, 2000, is classified as the most important and exciting match in their history. Iraq dominated and took a two-goal lead with strikes from star player Sabah Jareer, but the hosts rallied with the support of a massive crowd in the second half to turn the tables and secure a thrilling 2-2 draw in the group stage.

As the Lions of Mesopotamia aim to confirm their historical superiority and secure a new victory to please their Basra fans, the Cedars are eager to break their historical curse and achieve a positive result away from home. All eyes are on Al-Nakhla Stadium tomorrow evening for another chapter in the history of the encounters between the two brotherly national teams.