Iraq national team holds training camp in US ahead of 2026 World Cup

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's national football team has begun its official training camp in the United States in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Head coach Graham Arnold held a technical staff meeting in the US to review the outcomes of earlier camps in Spain and Chicago and to assess technical reports on the players. Player Amir Alamari said reaching the World Cup after a 40-year absence is a historic achievement for all Iraqis. The 2026 World Cup opened Thursday with Mexico facing South Africa at Mexico City Stadium, which is hosting the tournament's opening match for the third time. Iraq will play its first Group D match against Norway on Wednesday, June 17, shortly after midnight. The team comes into the tournament after a 2-0 defeat to Venezuela in the early hours of Wednesday that cost Iraq five points in the FIFA rankings, dropping it to 57th place.