Iraq FA appoints new chief ahead of 2026 World Cup

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Iraq Football Association (IFA) on Sunday appointed Kowand Abdulkhaliq as its secretary-general, one day after the federation held leadership elections.

Shafaq News correspondent reported that Abdulkhaliq officially assumed his duties during a handover ceremony at the federation’s headquarters in Baghdad, replacing Mohammed Farhan, who served as IFA secretary-general for four years during the presidency of Adnan Dirjal before concluding his term.

Abdulkhaliq had withdrawn from the race for IFA membership during Saturday’s elections and previously served as a federation board member for four years.

The appointment comes weeks before Iraq’s first FIFA World Cup appearance since 1986 after the national team qualified for the 2026 tournament by defeating Bolivia in an intercontinental playoff in March.