Iraq Possible Lineup to Face France in the FIFA World Cup 2026

Iraq is playing for history. After a tough defeat against Norway in their debut, the Asian side does not want an early exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026 and faces a difficult mission: taking points against France, one of the tournament’s biggest powers and a leading favorite to lift the trophy.

The team led by Graham Arnold needs an immediate response. The priority will be rebuilding their defensive structure and avoiding the individual mistakes that defined their first match, where they conceded too much space and suffered against quick opposition attacks.

Against France, Iraq will need to play a much smarter match. The main idea will be to close passing lanes, defend with discipline, and rely on counterattacks using the speed of their forwards.

Possible Lineup of Iraq

System: 4-4-2

12 Jalal Hassan (c)
3 Hussein Ali
4 Zaid Tahseen
5 Akam Hashim
23 Merchas Doski
8 Ibrahim Bayesh
24 Zaid Ismail
16 Amir Al-Ammari
17 Ali Jasim
18 Aymen Hussein
9 Ali Al-Hamadi

Tactical Analysis of Iraq

Iraq enters this match needing to fix several issues after its debut. The team showed effort and some promising attacking moments, but defensively struggled significantly when dealing with quick transitions and high-tempo attacks.

The main issue was defensive organization. At times, the gap between lines was too wide, allowing opponents to find space between midfielders and defenders. Against France, these mistakes could be even more costly due to the individual quality of players such as Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé.

Graham Arnold is likely to opt for a more compact setup, using a mid-to-low block to reduce space and force France into uncomfortable attacking positions. The 4-4-2 formation will help keep two tight defensive lines and make it harder for the French side to build through the middle.

In attack, Iraq will rely heavily on quick transitions. Aymen Hussein will be a key reference point up front, using his physical presence to help the team escape pressure and gain valuable seconds for teammates to join the attack.

Additionally, the wingers will play a crucial role: they must contribute defensively but also provide the outlet when Iraq wins possession. Ali Jasim could be one of the most important weapons to exploit the spaces left behind when France commits numbers forward.

The key for Iraq will be surviving the opening minutes, avoiding early goals, and keeping the match tight. If they manage to drag the game into a low-space scenario, their chances of causing an upset increase.

France enters as the favorite, but Iraq knows that in a World Cup, small details can change everything. To stay alive in the competition, they will need their best defensive performance and maximum efficiency in the few chances they get.