Infantino Invites Iraq's Adnan Dircal to 2026 World Cup Opening Match

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has formally invited Iraqi football official Adnan Dircal to the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, underscoring Dircal’s standing within the sport’s global governing structure. The match is scheduled for 11 June in Mexico and will feature Mexico against South Africa. Dircal continues to serve as vice president of FIFA’s Technical and Development Committee, a role that places him among the body’s senior decision-makers. He is described as the first Iraqi to sit on FIFA’s top-level committees. The article also said FIFA published its new administrative structure on its official website after Younis Mahmud won the presidency of the Iraq Football Association. The publication followed the change in leadership within Iraqi football's governing body.