Iraq Qualify for World Cup — Beat Bolivia 2–1 in Monterrey Despite Travel Ordeal

Iraq qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2–1 victory over Bolivia in the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Pathway 2 Final at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, earning a place in Group I alongside France, Senegal, and Norway. Iraq's preparations were severely disrupted by ongoing regional conflict — the squad traveled overland via Jordan then flew via an extraordinary route to reach Monterrey, an odyssey that became a global story of football perseverance. Bolivia, who had been the seventh-place CONMEBOL qualifier and beaten Suriname 2-1 in the semifinal, was bidding to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1994. Iraq's result means the Lions of Mesopotamia — who last played a World Cup in 1986 — now enter Group I for a historic clash with France. Bolivia is eliminated.