Iraqis poured out on to the streets on Wednesday, celebrating their national football team's historic win over Bolivia that secured a spot in this year's Fifa World Cup finals.
Iraq, nicknamed the Lions of Mesopotamia, won their playoff match and qualified for the 2026 World Cup, ending a 40-year hiatus. The team beat Bolivia 2-1 in the inter-confederation playoff in Monterrey, Mexico.
The atmosphere in Baghdad was electric, with fans chanting pro-Iraq songs and football anthems, waving flags and dancing in the streets. Some had the Iraqi flag draped over their shoulders, proudly displaying their patriotism.
“Finally, we made it,” Ali Othman, 24, told The National. He joined the celebrations in the Iraqi capital by cramming into a car with his friends.
“It was a long and tense journey. The Lions of Mesopotamia didn’t disappoint us, thank God.”
Drivers blasted car horns and played celebratory songs, as fans revelled in the moment. “Iraq, Iraq!” echoed through the streets, as supporters of all ages celebrated their team's achievement that comes as the Iran war has brought a wave of drone and missile attacks throughout the country.
One woman, Umm Ahmed, celebrated the occasion by throwing sweets into passing cars.
“Those are our sons, those are our heroes,” she said. “We may go through hard times, get sick but never die, at the end we rise like a phoenix.”
The achievement is significant given the current situation in the Middle East, with Iraq being pulled into the escalating conflict. The team's victory has brought joy to millions of Iraqis, providing a much-needed distraction from the instability.
The conflict in the Middle East has caused major travel disruptions, with Iraqi airspace having been closed for some time. Team manager Graham Arnold was stranded in Dubai after Iran started launching missiles and drones at Gulf countries.
“It's a real joy we truly deserve, and it comes at the right time,” said Khalid Mohammed, 36. This qualification marks a significant milestone for Iraqi football and fans are savouring every moment.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani congratulated the population on the “football achievement”, and declared Wednesday and Thursday as official holidays so that people could celebrate.
“The qualification of our national team to the World Cup finals is an important milestone in the history of Iraqi sports,” Mr Al Sudani said.
“It consolidates our country’s position in this global forum. It also confirms the strong will of our youth, who are keen to raise the name of Iraq high in all fields, including the sports field.”
Iraq's journey to qualification was long and challenging. They finished second in their Asian qualifying group, narrowly missing out on automatic qualification. However, they bounced back with a strong performance in the playoffs.
The team will now meet tough opponents in Group I, facing France, Senegal and Norway. Iraq's last World Cup appearance was in 1986 and fans are eager to see their team shine on the global stage.
Arnold praised his team's work ethic and resilience, saying: “I am so happy that we've made 46 million people happy, especially with what's going on in the Middle East at the moment.”
