Iraq National Team Begins 2026 World Cup Preparations in Girona

Iraq’s national football team has arrived in Girona, Spain, to begin preparations for the 2026 World Cup, with the squad gathering there after being flown on a special aircraft allocated by the Iraqi government. The camp brings together players from European leagues as Iraq steps up its final build-up before two key friendlies in late May and early June. Professional players based in Europe, including Imar Sher, Zaidan Iqbal and Daria Namo, were among the first to join the training camp. Karrar Nabil did not report to the team because of a health problem. Yusuf en-Nasravi, who is due to arrive from Austria, is expected to reach the camp via Barcelona. His arrival will complete another phase of the squad’s assembly ahead of the scheduled matches. Iraq will play Andorra on 29 May and Spain in La Coruña on 4 June. The fixtures are part of Iraq’s final preparations for a tournament in which it will compete at the World Cup for the first time since 1986.