Iraq eyes Saudi clash after narrow win over Indonesia in World Cup qualifiers

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s national soccer team is preparing for a decisive showdown against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after edging Indonesia 1–0 in the Asian playoff qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, keeping alive hopes of returning to the tournament for the first time since 1986.

Head coach Graham Arnold called Saturday’s win a vital step in Iraq’s qualification campaign but acknowledged that his side struggled early in the match. “The players’ dream is to qualify for the World Cup, and I think the pressure was high on us in the first half, but we handled it well,” Arnold told reporters. “Now it’s time to put pressure on the Saudi team. They’ve been thinking about Iraq for five days because of their country’s expectations to qualify.”

Arnold urged Iraqi fans to stay grounded. “I ask the fans not to celebrate yet, because we haven’t qualified. There is still a lot of work ahead to achieve the goal,” he said, while praising midfielder Zidan Iqbal. “Zidan played his first match under my management, and he impressed me in training with his performance and high spirit.”

Iqbal, who netted the winning goal in the 76th minute and was named player of the match, expressed his gratitude after the game. “Thanks to God for the win. It was a very tough match, and now our focus is on recovery. The most important thing is that we earned the three points,” he said. “I have great confidence in coach Arnold, and I can’t promise anything in soccer, the field always decides who is better.”

Iraq now must defeat Saudi Arabia to secure a place at the 2026 World Cup — only the second in the nation’s history.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani called the team before Saturday’s match, urging players to remain focused and determined. He encouraged them to “overcome Indonesia and Saudi Arabia and revive Iraq’s chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” describing them as “the most deserving group to represent Iraq at the World Cup” and expressing confidence in their ability “to succeed in the toughest tests and achieve the dream of all Iraqis.”

In a statement, Al-Sudani’s office said he “wished the team success in all their matches,” highlighting his trust in the players’ potential and the unifying power of soccer. He told the squad to “forget the preliminary qualifiers and focus on the upcoming matches,” calling a win “an achievement no less important than any other success in other fields.”

Following the victory, Al-Sudani congratulated the team on Sunday, reaffirming full government support. “We extend our warmest congratulations to all Iraqis on the important victory of our national football team over Indonesia in the decisive Asian playoff qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup,” he said in a post on X. “We affirm the government’s continued full support for the Lions of Mesopotamia to complete the path toward qualification, fulfill the dreams of sports fans, and raise Iraq’s name high in this major global event.”