Baghdad cafes and restaurants ride Iraq’s World Cup wave
Shafaq News
Long before the opening whistle of the FIFA World Cup sounded in distant stadiums, Baghdad had already begun its own celebration. Iraqi flags appeared on restaurant facades and café terraces, players’ images spread across screens and billboards, and businesses rushed to capitalize on a rare moment as the national team returned to the tournament after a 40-year absence.
In a city where football often shapes the public mood, the World Cup has become more than a sporting event. It has evolved into a social and commercial season, with fans searching for large screens and air-conditioned venues to escape the summer heat, while businesses compete to attract customers through football-themed promotions and viewing experiences.
Restaurants and cafes across Baghdad say they are preparing for large crowds during Iraq’s matches. With soaring temperatures and limited access to some broadcasts due to subscription costs, many supporters are opting to watch games in public venues rather than at home.
A Long-Awaited Return
For many Iraqis, the national team’s participation carries significance beyond football.
“It is a source of pride to see the Iraqi flag raised at this international event and to have representation at the World Cup,” Mustafa Hassan, a player in a local amateur team, told Shafaq News.
Like many in his generation, Hassan views the tournament as an opportunity to reconnect with a sense of national pride that has been absent for decades.
Iraq will compete in a challenging group alongside Norway, France, and Senegal in its first World Cup appearance since the 1986 tournament in Mexico.
Hassan said he and his teammates have already arranged gatherings with friends to watch the matches on giant screens and support the national side. Yet he also noted another side of the World Cup atmosphere in Baghdad. “Most of these advertisements are purely promotional and commercial and have little to do with the tournament itself,” he explained, adding that the businesses see it as a good opportunity for marketing and profit because the competition attracts huge interest among Iraqis.
Read more: Iraq prepare for historic World Cup return against Norway
Brands Join the World Cup Wave
The blend of national enthusiasm and commercial activity is visible throughout the capital.
Soft drink companies have redesigned packaging with Iraqi national colors and football-themed imagery. Restaurants have introduced World Cup-branded meal packaging and promotional slogans, while shops have decorated storefronts with football-themed displays. Even everyday consumer products, from canned goods to potato chips, have incorporated tournament-related branding.
Twenty-year-old Rana, who does not usually follow football, said Iraq’s qualification has changed her attitude toward the competition. This time is different because the Iraqi team is participating, she told Shafaq News, adding, “I am excited to watch the matches with my family.” However, she believes many advertising campaigns surrounding the national team's participation are driven primarily by commercial interests. “They do not provide real support to the team. They are mainly trying to market their products and make profits.”
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Marketing Opportunity
Ali Al-Lami, a marketing expert, stated that some of the campaigns fall under “ambush marketing,” where businesses seek to benefit from a major public event without necessarily being official sponsors.
“The World Cup, especially with Iraq’s return, has become a powerful attraction,” Al-Lami told Shafaq News, explaining that Companies, restaurants, and cafes “see it as an opportunity to advertise, attract customers, and increase revenue.” He also pointed to “opportunistic marketing,” in which businesses capitalize on major local or international events for commercial gain. Many companies are less concerned with the tournament itself than with filling seats and attracting customers, regardless of whether Iraq wins or loses. “Such campaigns reflect a broader reality of modern markets,” he said, indicating that brands constantly seek moments that unite people around a shared emotion and "attempt to transform that sentiment into consumer demand."
Divided Opinions
Baghdad residents remain divided over the growing commercial presence surrounding the tournament.
Muaid Abdul Hussein, 33, said businesses exploiting major events is a global phenomenon rather than a uniquely Iraqi one. “Big events always encourage companies to advertise through campaigns that spread across streets, stores, and social media.” While acknowledging that such marketing often seeks to benefit from public emotions, he said it is not entirely negative. “These advertisements keep people connected to the event and remind them of it constantly.”
Others take a different view. Abdul Qader Abdul Rahman believes excessive advertising detracts from the spirit of the tournament.
“The World Cup is an event everyone knows and follows every four years,” he stressed, noting that the Iraqi public already knows where and how to watch the matches, “so it does not need this volume of advertising.” He argued that some campaigns are intrusive and focus more on promoting businesses than on celebrating the tournament or supporting the national team. “For me, football is a beautiful game that should be enjoyed away from attempts to turn every moment into a sales opportunity.”
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.
