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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Sports Desk • Soccer

Iraq national football team

The Iraq national football team is the men's international football team of Iraq, administered by the Iraq Football Association.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

The Iraq national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Mesopotamia, represents Iraq in men's international football. Administered by the Iraq Football Association, it has qualified for the FIFA World Cup twice (1986 and 2026).

What it is

The Iraq national football team is the men's international team of Iraq, controlled by the Iraq Football Association. Known as the Lions of Mesopotamia, the team plays home matches at Basra International Stadium and competes in AFC and FIFA tournaments.

Key details

The team's common nickname is the Lions of Mesopotamia. Its home venue is Basra International Stadium. Younis Mahmoud holds the most caps (148), and Hussein Saeed is the top scorer (78). The current head coach is Graham Arnold, and captain is Jalal Hassan. The FIFA code is IRQ.

Competitive record

Iraq has qualified for the FIFA World Cup twice: in 1986 and 2026, exiting at the group stage both times. The team regularly participates in AFC and West Asian competitions.

In short

  • Nicknamed the Lions of Mesopotamia.
  • Qualified for FIFA World Cup twice (1986, 2026).
  • Home stadium: Basra International Stadium.
  • Younis Mahmoud holds most caps; Hussein Saeed top scorer.

Quick questions

What is the Iraq national football team?
It is Iraq's men's international football team, run by the Iraq Football Association.
What is the team's nickname?
The team is nicknamed the Lions of Mesopotamia.
How many times has Iraq reached the FIFA World Cup?
Iraq has qualified twice, in 1986 and 2026.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_national_football_team
    Supports: Nickname, governing body, confederation, home stadium, head coach, captain, caps, top scorer, World Cup appearances
  2. Arabic Wikipedia — https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_national_football_team
    Supports: Team representation since 1948, Iraq Football Association founding year, FIFA membership, AFC membership, WAFF membership, nickname
  3. Spanish Wikipedia — https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selecci%C3%B3n_de_f%C3%BAtbol_de_Irak
    Supports: Team identity, founding year, FIFA and AFC membership dates