The Iraq national team faces Oman in their opening Gulf Cup of Nations match on Tuesday, aiming to halt a dismal run of form. The Group Stage fixture at Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium comes after Iraq suffered five consecutive defeats in international friendlies and World Cup qualifiers.
Iraq enter the contest sitting fourth in their World Cup qualifying group with zero points from three matches. A 5-0 thrashing by Senegal in June capped a run of five games without a win, which included a draw with Spain and losses to France, Norway, and Venezuela.
Despite this poor recent form, Iraq hold a positive recent record against Oman. They won both of the last two head-to-head meetings in World Cup qualification, including a 1-0 away victory in November 2024.
The upcoming match is part of a tough group in the regional championship, and fans can check the full schedule of upcoming fixtures for the team. The national coach needs to find quick solutions to improve both attack and defence, with the team having scored just once while conceding 12 goals in World Cup qualifying.
This clash represents a key opportunity for Iraq to rebuild confidence and gather positive momentum before resuming their qualification campaign. Kick-off is scheduled for 14:30 UTC.
