Iraq's national football team arrives in Boston ahead of 2026 World Cup opener

BOSTON, United States — Iraq's national football team has arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, to set up its training camp ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Norway. The coaching staff and players have begun preparations at facilities in the city, with sessions scheduled to intensify in the final days before the tournament. Iraq will play Norway in its first group-stage match of the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The fixture is part of the opening group-stage schedule for the 2026 tournament. According to a statement issued upon arrival in Boston, the training camp has been organized around the team's match calendar. Iraq's delegation is using the Boston camp as its base in the lead-up to the tournament, with staff citing the city's training infrastructure as the venue for the team's final preparation phase. The match against Norway is set to be the first of Iraq's group-stage contests at the World Cup.