Iraq is preparing to play the World Cup playoff

Today, Monday, the Iraqi national football team conducted its first training session in the Mexican city of Monterrey, in preparation for facing the winner of the match between Bolivia and Suriname in the global qualifier for the 2026 World Cup, according to what was announced by the local federation’s website for the same game.

The ranks of the “Mesopotamian Lions” team began to be completed successively, with the addition of three professional players in European clubs out of 15 players called by Australian coach Graham Arnold.

Professional players Amir Al-Amari, Mirkhas Dosky and Hussein Ali joined the squad after completing their commitments with their clubs, awaiting the addition of the rest of the professionals whom Arnold invited to join.

The Iraqi national team's roster includes 15 professionals abroad, in addition to the aforementioned trio: Zaid Tahseen, Rebin Sulaqa, Ibrahim Bayesh, Ali Al Hammadi, Marco Faraj, Zidane Iqbal, Imar Shear, Muhannad Ali, Youssef Al Amin, Ali Jassim, Kevin Yacoub, and France Boutros.

The Iraqi national team will face the winner of the match between Bolivia and Suriname, on the 31st of this month.

Arnold summoned 28 players to the “Mesopotamia Lions” list in preparation for the fateful match, which Iraq seeks to win in order to reach the World Cup finals for the second time in its history, after Yatima’s participation in the World Cup in Mexico in 1986.

Yesterday, Sunday, the Iraqi national team delegation arrived in the city of Monterrey, coming from the Jordanian capital, Amman, after FIFA secured a private plane to transport it, due to the “Iran War,” which led to the closure of the airspace of most airports in Middle Eastern countries.