Iraq vs Norway Prediction 16.06.2026 | World Cup 2026

Iraq national football team arrive at this tournament carrying the hopes of an entire nation on their shoulders, having successfully navigated a demanding AFC qualifying campaign to secure their return to football’s grandest stage for the first time since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

The Lions of Mesopotamia have already offered a glimpse of their potential during their final warm-up fixtures, edging past Andorra by a narrow 1-0 scoreline before producing a surprise display just days later to hold European heavyweights Spain to an impressive 1-1 draw.

However, head coach Graham Arnold will be aware that improvements are still required in the attacking department if his side are to compete with more expansive opponents, having seen his team score two or more goals in only one of their previous six matches across all competitions.

In terms of team news, experienced defender Ahmed Yahya was forced to withdraw from the national team camp after sustaining a hamstring injury in the friendly against Spain, while 36-year-old centre-back Saad Natiq has also been dealing with fitness concerns ahead of the World Cup.

Norway, meanwhile, cross the Atlantic amid what many consider to be a golden generation for the national team, having finally ended decades of qualification heartbreak by securing their place on football’s grandest stage for the first time since the 1998 World Cup in France.

Widely tipped as one of the tournament’s potential dark horses, the Lions have already laid down an early marker in their pre-World Cup preparations, with Erling Haaland and company recording an impressive 3-1 victory over Sweden in a Scandinavian derby before battling to a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Morocco.

While their attacking output has cooled slightly in recent outings, Norway can take immense confidence from a flawless World Cup qualifying campaign in which they won all eight of their matches, averaging a remarkable 4.6 goals per game, a record that only reinforces the belief that they possess the firepower to trouble even the tournament’s elite.

There are, however, slight concerns over the fitness of experienced Fredrik Aursnes, with the SL Benfica midfielder nursing a minor calf issue ahead of their tournament opener against Iraq, although he is still expected to be available, while Sander Berge remains on standby should his services be required.