Iraq grabbed the last available place at the World Cup by beating Bolivia 2-1 in their inter-confederation play-off on Tuesday, sealing their return to the finals after a 40-year absence.
Aymen Hussein steered home a second-half winner to see the Iraqis become the 48th and last team to qualify for the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the US.
Ali Al Hamadi handed Iraq a 10th-minute lead at the Monterrey Stadium but Bolivia were level at the break through Moises Paniagua.
Iraq 🆚 Bolivia
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) April 1, 2026
Iraq return to the #FIFAWorldCup 40 years later. pic.twitter.com/fknt56hTJ1
Iraq will compete in Group I at the 11 June to 19 July World Cup along with France, Norway and Senegal.
FULL LIST OF TEAMS, FIXTURES AND GROUPS
UNITED STATES
Taking part as hosts
Best performance: Third place (1930)
MEXICO
Taking part as hosts
Best performance: Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
CANADA
Taking part as hosts
Best performance: Group stage (1986, 2022)
JAPAN
Qualified on: 20 March
Best performance: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
NEW ZEALAND
Qualified on: 24 March
Best performance: Group stage (1982, 2010)
IRAN
Qualified on: 25 March
Best performance: Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022)
ARGENTINA
Qualified on: 25 March
Best performance: Winners (1978, 1986, 2022)
UZBEKISTAN
Qualified on: 5 June
Best performance: Never previously qualified
SOUTH KOREA
Qualified on: 5 June
Best performance: Fourth place (2002)
JORDAN
Qualified on: 5 June
Best performance: Never previously qualified
AUSTRALIA
Qualified on: 10 June
Best performance: Round of 16 (2006, 2022)
BRAZIL
Qualified on: 10 June
Best performance: Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
ECUADOR
Qualified on: 10 June
Best performance: Round of 16 (2006)
URUGUAY
Qualified on: 4 September
Best performance: Winners (1930, 1950)
COLOMBIA
Qualified on: 4 September
Best performance: Quarter-finals (2014)
PARAGUAY
Qualified on: 4 September
Best performance: Quarter-finals (2010)
MOROCCO
Qualified on: 5 September
Best performance: Semi-finals (2022)
TUNISIA
Qualified on: 8 September
Best performance: Group Stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022)
EGYPT
Qualified on: 8 October
Best performance: Round of 16 (1934)
ALGERIA
Qualified on: 9 October
Best performance: Round of 16 (2014)
GHANA
Qualified on: 12 October
Best performance: Quarter-finals (2010)
CAPE VERDE
Qualified on: 13 October
Best performance: Never previously qualified
SOUTH AFRICA
Qualified on: 14 October
Best performance: Group stage (1998, 2002, 2010)
QATAR
Qualified on: 14 October
Best performance: Group stage (2022)
ENGLAND
Qualified on: 14 October
Best performance: Winners (1966)
SAUDI ARABIA
Qualified on: 14 October
Best performance: Round of 16 (1994)
IVORY COAST
Qualified on: 14 October
Best performance: Group stage (2006, 2010, 2014)
SENEGAL
Qualified on: 14 October
Best performance: Quarter-finals (2002)
FRANCE
Qualified on: 13 November
Best performance: Winners (1998, 2018)
CROATIA
Qualified on: 14 November
Best performance: Runners-up (2018)
PORTUGAL
Qualified on: 16 November
Best performance: Third place (1966)
NORWAY
Qualified on: 16 November
Best performance: Round of 16 (1938, 1998)
GERMANY
Qualified on: 17 November
Best performance: Winners (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
NETHERLANDS
Qualified on: 17 November
Best performance: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
BELGIUM
Qualified on: 18 November
Best performance: Third place (2018)
AUSTRIA
Qualified on: 18 November
Best performance: Third place (1954)
SWITZERLAND
Qualified on: 18 November
Best performance: Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954)
SPAIN
Qualified on: 18 November
Best performance: Winners (2010)
SCOTLAND
Qualified on: 18 November
Best performance: Group stage (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998)
PANAMA
Qualified on: 19 November
Best performance: Group stage (2018)
HAITI
Qualified on: 19 November
Best performance: Group stage (1974)
CURACAO
Qualified on: 19 November
Best performance: Never previously qualified
SWEDEN
Qualified on: 31 March
Best performance: Runners-up (1958)
TURKEY
Qualified on: 31 March
Best performance: Third place (2002)
CZECH REPUBLIC
Qualified on: 31 March
Best performance: Runners-up (1934, 1962)
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
Qualified on: 31 March
Best performance: Group stage (2014)
DR CONGO
Qualified on: 31 March
Best performance: Group stage (1974)
IRAQ
Qualified on: 31 March
Best performance: Group stage (1986)
