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Iraq Qualifies for 2026 World Cup, First in 40 Years

6/7/2026

Summary

Iraq Qualifies

Iraq qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, its first appearance in four decades.
Coach Graham Arnold, the first Australian to lead two nations to a World Cup, guided Iraq through the playoff.
Aymen Hussein scored the winning goal in Monterrey that secured the spot.
Ahmed Hassan Makenzie replaced injured Ahmed Yahya in Iraq’s final 2026 squad.
Fans and diaspora will travel to matches in Foxborough, Philadelphia and Toronto.

Summary

Iraq Squad Detained

Customs officials at Chicago O’Hare detained striker Aymen Hussein for seven hours before entry.
Photographer Talal Salah was held for ten hours and denied U.S. entry.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection called inspections routine, citing vetting concerns.
The Iraqi squad arrived from Dubai for a friendly against Venezuela at SeatGeek Stadium.
The Iraqi Football Association, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security have not responded to inquiries.

History

Historical Context

After Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 661, imposing sanctions that froze Iraqi assets and restricted travel, which kept Iraqi athletes out of international events. Decades later, Iraq’s national team secured a spot in the 2026 World Cup, but the recent detention of striker Aymen Hussein at Chicago O’Hare shows those travel limits still affect Iraqi football.

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Iraq Qualifies

Iraq qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, its first appearance in four decades.
Coach Graham Arnold, the first Australian to lead two nations to a World Cup, guided Iraq through the playoff.
Aymen Hussein scored the winning goal in Monterrey that secured the spot.
Ahmed Hassan Makenzie replaced injured Ahmed Yahya in Iraq’s final 2026 squad.
Fans and diaspora will travel to matches in Foxborough, Philadelphia and Toronto.

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