The Iraqi national team will play against Spain in a friendly match before the 2026 World Cup, as part of the team's preparations for the tournament. The match is scheduled to take place on June 4, and will be hosted by the Riazor stadium in Spain. The announcement was made after a formal meeting between Adnan Dirjal, the president of the Iraqi Football Association, and Rafael Llorente, the president of the Spanish Football Federation, on the sidelines of the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada. The match will be the second between the two teams, with the first match taking place in 2009 in the Confederations Cup, which Spain won 1-0. The Iraqi team will participate in a training camp in Spain, starting from May 18 and ending on June 5. The match against Spain will be the most important test for the team's players during this period, as they will face one of the strongest teams in the world. The Iraqi team was drawn into Group 9 in the 2026 World Cup, which is considered a balanced and challenging group. The team will face a variety of football schools, starting with the European school represented by France (one of the main contenders for the title), Norway, which has physical and technical elements, and former African champion Senegal, known for its speed and physical strength. The team's technical staff aims to exploit the fighting spirit of the players and the huge public support to achieve a surprise in this group, with the main goal being to collect the maximum number of points in the first two matches to secure a ticket to the second round for the first time in Iraqi football history, especially since the current tournament system gives a greater chance for developed teams to qualify.