Iraq have appointed former Australia manager Graham Arnold as head coach ahead of crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Korea and Jordan.
Graham Arnold has been named the new head coach of the Iraq national football team, the country’s football federation confirmed on Saturday. The 61-year-old Australian replaces Jesus Casas, who was dismissed following Iraq’s 2-1 defeat to Palestine in March.
The Iraq Football Association announced Arnold's appointment on Instagram, sharing photos of his arrival in Baghdad and writing, “We are delighted to announce Graham Arnold as the new head coach of the Iraq national team. Welcome to the Lions of Mesopotamia!”
Arnold takes over at a pivotal moment, with Iraq sitting third in Group B of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They trail group leaders South Korea by four points and second-placed Jordan by one.
Only the top two teams in each of Asia’s three qualifying groups will earn automatic spots at the World Cup. Teams finishing third and fourth will have to compete in an additional round of qualifiers.
Arnold’s first match in charge will be on June 5 against South Korea in Basra, followed by an away match in Amman against Jordan on June 10. Iraq are aiming to qualify for their first World Cup since 1986.
This marks a return to international management for Arnold, who led Australia to the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup. He stepped down in late 2024 after a poor start to the new qualifying cycle, which included a loss to Bahrain and a draw with Indonesia.
Tony Popovic succeeded Arnold as Australia’s head coach and has guided the Socceroos to second place in Group C, trailing only Japan.
Hawaii turns to lab-grown mosquitoes and drones in a race to stop the extinction of its iconic honeycreeper birds....
Volkswagen cut its 2025 forecast after U.S. tariffs slashed €1.3 billion from profits, but strong EV demand and European sales offer signs of recove...
Caitlin Clark has shattered another record, this time off the court as a signed rookie card of the WNBA star sold for an unprecedented $660,000, the h...
The IMF has approved a $625 million loan program for Chad to support economic growth and social spending amid regional and economic challenges....
Cambodia has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with Thailand as border clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors escalated f...
United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has asked Israel to provide evidence backing its claim that staff with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are linked to Hamas.
At least 652 children have died from malnutrition in Nigeria’s Katsina state in the first six months of 2025, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said on Friday, blaming funding cuts by international donors for worsening conditions.
Gaza ceasefire hopes dimmed as both Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and U.S. President Trump declared negotiations with Hamas had failed. Their remarks came during escalating violence and growing hunger in the war-torn enclave.
Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Türkiye held a phone conversation on 25 July to discuss their strategic alliance, regional security, and the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday praised Pakistan's role in promoting regional stability and discussed deeper cooperation on counterterrorism, trade, and critical minerals during a meeting in Washington with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that Ukrainian forces are engaged in intense battles near the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a critical logistics center where Russian forces have been steadily advancing and claiming new territory almost daily.
Cambodia has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire with Thailand as border clashes between the two Southeast Asian neighbors escalated for a second consecutive day, AFP reports.
Trump rejected Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his support for maintaining the restrictions on U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons outlined in the 2010 New START treaty, which is set to expire in February
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment