Iraq Beats UAE 2-1 to Reach 2026 World Cup Play-Off Stage

Iraq made an important achievement in its football journey after defeating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 2-1 at the Basra International Stadium. This victory allowed Iraq to officially qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament. The match was very important for both teams because it directly affected their chances of moving closer to the World Cup.

The Iraqi team started the match with confidence and energy. Mohanad Ali scored the first goal for Iraq, giving the home fans great excitement. Later, Amir Al Ammari added the second goal, strengthening Iraq’s lead and putting more pressure on the UAE team. These two goals showed Iraq’s strong attacking power and teamwork.

The UAE team did not give up easily. Caio Lucas scored one goal for the UAE, giving his team hope for a comeback. The UAE players pushed hard to equalize, but Iraq’s defense remained strong. Even though the UAE created several chances, they were not able to score another goal before the final whistle.

This game came just a few days after Iraq and the UAE faced each other in Abu Dhabi. In that match, which was part of the fifth round of the AFC qualifiers, the two teams finished with a draw. That result made this second meeting even more important, with both sides needing a win. Iraq took full advantage of the opportunity and earned the victory they needed.

With this win, Iraq joined several other countries—DR Congo, Bolivia and New Caledonia—in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament. Two more teams from the CONCACAF region (North, Central America and the Caribbean) will also join the play-offs. Those teams will be confirmed after matches on Wednesday.

The play-off tournament is scheduled to take place in Mexico in March 2026. A total of six teams will compete, but only two of them will qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026. This makes the play-offs extremely competitive because every match will be important. Winning here will give Iraq a place in one of the biggest football events in the world.

Iraq has only reached the FIFA World Cup once in its history. That happened in 1986, also in Mexico. Since then, the national team has been trying many times to return to the tournament. This year’s qualification path gives Iraq a real chance to achieve that dream again.

The UAE, meanwhile, has only played in the World Cup once as well—back in 1990 in Italy. They hoped to use this qualification cycle to reach the World Cup again, but the loss to Iraq reduced their chances. They will now need to reflect on their performance and look at future opportunities.

For the Iraqi people, this win brought great joy. Football is deeply loved in Iraq, and the possibility of reaching the World Cup gives the whole country hope and excitement. Now, the team’s focus will shift to preparing for the play-off tournament in 2026.