Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's national football team meets Senegal on Friday evening in its final Group 9 fixture at the 2026 World Cup, carrying the slim hopes of millions into a match that could end its campaign or extend it by the narrowest of margins.

With evening falling over Baghdad, the side known as the Lions of Mesopotamia enters needing a victory, and even that may not be enough on its own, with its fate also resting on results in other groups breaking in its favor.

From the cafes of Baghdad to living rooms in Basra, Erbil, and all Iraqi provinces, fans are expected to gather around screens as the match approaches, the familiar pre-game ritual of strong tea, shared nerves, and quiet hope taking hold across the country. For a footballing nation long starved of major-tournament moments, the appearance at the World Cup has already meant something; the chance, however faint, to advance further has kept the dream alive into the final night of the group stage.

The match kicks off at 10:00 p.m. Baghdad time at BMO Field. Iraq arrives under heavy pressure after consecutive defeats to Norway and France, leaving the team needing a wide-margin win to keep alive any hope of qualifying among the best third-placed sides.

Senegal faces a similarly narrow path. Both teams saw their prospects grow more complicated after recent results in other groups went against them, the latest being Ecuador's surprise 2-1 win over Germany the previous day, a result that secured Ecuador's place alongside other sides that finished on four points.

The Iraqi coaching staff heads into the match without two forwards. Strikers Ayman Hussein and Mohanned Ali are expected to miss the game through injury, a significant blow to the attack. Head coach Graham Arnold is set to rely on the pairing of Ali Al-Hamadi and Ali Yousef to lead the front line.

In the group's other fixture, played at the same time, Norway meets France in a match to decide the top of Group 9. Both teams have already secured qualification, level on six points each.