Huge crowds greet Iraqi soccer squad on return from World Cup qualifying match

Iraq's national football team was celebrated by fans in Baghdad's Jadriya area on April 4, 2026, as they were paraded on a double-decker bus to mark their qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

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The team, known as the "Lions of Mesopotamia", had secured their first World Cup appearance since 1986 with a 2-1 win over Bolivia on March 31, following a build-up to the match that was overshadowed by the outbreak of the Middle East war in late February.

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The conflict, which began when the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, had dragged Iraq into the war and disrupted the team's preparations, but they were able to overcome the challenges and seal their place in the World Cup finals.

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Thousands of fans gathered in Baghdad on Saturday morning to welcome the team home, and the players were greeted by Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani on their return on Friday, before being driven through the capital in an open-topped bus.

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The team's victory was secured with goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein, and they will now play in Group I against France, Senegal, and Norway at the World Cup, marking their first appearance at the finals in 40 years.

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Hassan Khalifa, who attended the celebrations, described the moment as "a memory that will remain etched in our minds", and said that the team's qualification marked "the beginning of a new era in the history of Iraqi football".

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The Iraqi cabinet has announced that the team will be rewarded with residential properties, diplomatic passports, and a commissioned song to commemorate their achievements, as well as other honors including commemorative stamps, a mural, and streets named after the team.

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These measures will be approved at an upcoming cabinet meeting, and are a testament to the team's historic achievement, which was made all the more remarkable by the difficulties they faced due to the war.

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Iraq was drawn into the conflict when the US and Israel launched strikes on February 28, targeting US interests and Iraqi pro-Iran groups, and the team had to endure a gruelling three-day journey to their match and return via Jordan due to the closure of Iraq's airspace.

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Coach Graham Arnold had worked to keep the players' minds off the conflict, which has killed over 100 people in the country, and the team's success is a significant achievement in the face of such adversity.