The Iraq national football team faces France in the second round of the FIFA World Cup 2026, after losing to Norway in the first round with a score of 1-4, and the team seeks to achieve a positive result to enhance qualification chances. The Lions of Mesopotamia showed some good moments offensively in the previous match, and the team will rely on the experience of its international players, including Ayman Hussein and Zaidan Iqbal, and a number of young elements seeking to make a surprise against one of the strongest candidates for the title. The French national team leads the group with 3 points after defeating Senegal with a score of 3-1, while the Iraqi national team occupies the fourth place without points. Ayman Hussein scored the equalizing goal for Iraq in the 39th minute of the match that took place on Wednesday morning at Boston Stadium, becoming the second Iraqi player to score in the World Cup after the late Ahmed Radhi. Iraq's participation in the 2026 World Cup has special importance, as it is the team's second participation in the World Cup after its first appearance in the 1986 edition in Mexico.