Trending Now - Iraq Claims Last Spot in 2026 World Cup Qualifying Finale
WHO:
ESPN - Coach Graham Arnold was celebrated by his players after the victory over Bolivia.
AP News - Iraq and Bolivia were the teams involved in the intercontinental playoff.
AP News - Bosnia and Herzegovina upset Italy in the European playoffs.
BBC - The final six nations that qualified included DR Congo and Iraq.
WHAT:
AP News - Iraq's victory over Bolivia marked the end of an 867-day qualifying journey.
ESPN - Iraq became the second team in history to qualify for the World Cup after a 40-year gap.
AP News - Iraq secured the 48th and final spot in the 2026 World Cup by defeating Bolivia 2-1.
AP News - Italy was knocked out of qualifying for a third successive World Cup.
BBC - The qualification process for the World Cup began in September 2023 and involved six confederations.
AP News - The World Cup will feature 48 teams, with 12 groups of four teams each.
WHERE:
ESPN - The playoff match took place in Monterrey, Mexico.
AP News - The intercontinental playoff took place in Monterrey, Mexico.
AP News - The next-to-last nation to advance, Congo, played in Guadalajara, Mexico.
BBC - The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
WHEN:
ESPN - Iraq's qualifying journey began on September 7, 2023, and concluded on March 31, 2026.
AP News - The World Cup is scheduled to kick off on June 11, 2026, and will run until July 19, 2026.
AP News - The World Cup qualifiers started on September 7, 2023.
BBC - The final matches of the qualification process occurred on March 31, 2026.
WHY:
AP News - The qualification process was necessary to determine the teams that would participate in the World Cup.
HOW:
ESPN - Iraq played a total of 21 matches during the qualification process, making them the busiest nation in this World Cup qualifying campaign.
AP News - The final spots were determined through intercontinental playoffs and European playoffs.
(UPDATED April 1, 2026 19:20 UTC)
Iraq celebrated a historic victory over Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, marking the end of an 867-day qualifying journey that began September 7thth, 2023. This win not only secured their spot in the World Cup but also made Iraq the second team in history to qualify after a 40-year gap, with their coach Graham Arnold receiving accolades from his players. Throughout this qualification process, Iraq played a total of 21 matches, making them the busiest nation in this World Cup qualifying campaign.
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(UPDATED April 1, 2026 17:23 UTC)
Iraq secured the final spot in the 2026 World Cup by defeating Bolivia 2-1 in an intercontinental playoff held in Monterrey, Mexico, while Bosnia and Herzegovina pulled off an upset against Italy in the European playoffs, knocking Italy out of qualifying for the third consecutive time. The World Cup, featuring 48 teams divided into 12 groups of four, is set to kick off June 11th, and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The qualification process, which began in September 20th23, concluded with the final matches on Tuesday, determining the teams that will compete in this prestigious tournament.