Iraq

Iraq are back at the World Cup for the first time since 1986. Ali Al-Hamadi and Ayman Hussein’s goals in a 2-1 victory over Bolivia in the intercontinental playoff final sealed a qualification that forty years of conflict, displacement, and rebuilding have made feel almost impossible. For Iraqi fans in Baghdad (AST, UTC+3), the North American tournament means late-night and early-morning kickoffs, but a nation that has endured far worse will embrace every second.

Group I pairs Iraq with France, Senegal, and Norway. It is the toughest possible draw, with the reigning World Cup runners-up and two formidable European and African sides. But Iraq’s 2007 Asian Cup triumph, won against all odds during a period of devastating national conflict, proved that this football nation thrives when the world counts them out.

Iraqi football runs deep. The 1986 World Cup squad in Mexico remains legendary, and the decades since have produced waves of talented players who kept the dream alive through wars, sanctions, and exile. The current generation, blending domestic league talent with players from European and Gulf clubs, has finally broken through.

The Iraqi diaspora spans the globe. Significant communities in Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and across the Gulf states will rally behind this team. For fans in Baghdad, eastern US venue kickoffs fall around 01:00-03:00 AST, demanding commitment but guaranteeing emotional intensity that only long-awaited returns can produce.

French fans in Group I will watch from Paris (CET, UTC+1), two hours behind Baghdad. Norwegian supporters in Oslo share the European timezone. Senegalese fans in Dakar (GMT, UTC+0) face a more manageable timezone gap to North American venues. But none of them carry the weight of history that Iraq brings to this tournament.

Cross-links: Check the exact time in Baghdad at whatisthetime.now/baghdad, or compare timezone differences between Group I venues and your city.