Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq will retain Graham Arnold as head coach through the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after the Australian agreed to extend his contract with the national team, the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) confirmed on Wednesday.

Ghalib Al-Zamili, a member of the IFA board, told Shafaq News that Arnold had accepted the terms of the new deal, ending uncertainty over his future. He is expected to travel to Iraq in the coming weeks to formally sign the contract before starting preparations for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

Arnold, who replaced Spaniard Jesus Casas as Iraq’s head coach in May 2025, guided the national team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where it exited in the group stage after losing all three matches.