France is just one win away from securing a place in the Round of 32 as they prepare to face Iraq on Tuesday, June 23, in Boston. Les Bleus started their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Senegal. After a difficult first half, Kylian Mbappé scored twice to inspire France to a comfortable victory. Meanwhile, Iraq is hoping to bounce back after a tough start to the tournament. Playing in their first World Cup since 1986, they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Norway in their opening Group I match.
Let’s take a look at this story and find out if Aymmen Hussein’s side can pull off the biggest upset in World Cup history
France and Iraq’s recent form
Kylian Mbappe-led France have been in a red-hot form as they have won five out of their six matches. The only defeat came during the World Cup warm-up against the Ivory Coast.
France: W-W-L-W-W
Meanwhile, Iraq has been struggling to find its rhythm after losing three of its previous matches. Aymen Hussei’s side faced two consecutive losses against Norway and Venezuela. The last time Iraq secured a victory was against Andorra during pre-World Cup friendlies.
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Iraq: L-L-D-W-W
France vs Iraq: Team News
France head coach Didier Deschamps will likely go for a couple of changes to his starting XI for this match. Bradley Barcola is likely to earn a start after making a positive impact off the bench against Senegal, while Lucas Digne and Manu Koné are also tipped to be included from the start.
Coming to Iraq, Ali Jasim is expected to be fit despite picking up a knock against Norway and could return to the starting lineup. In goal, Ahmed Basil is in contention to replace Jalal Hassan.
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Group I standings
Norway holds the top spot in Group I standings following their brilliant show against Iraq in the World Cup opener. France ranks second in Group I with three points, followed by Senegal and Iraq, who are yet to open their accounts. They are sitting in the third and fourth spots, respectively.
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups, along with the eight best third-placed teams, will qualify for the knockout stage. The 2026 FIFA World Cup also marks the first time the tournament features a Round of 32 following its expansion to 48 teams.
France vs Iraq FIFA World Cup 2026 Prediction
France will enter the match as clear favourites after an impressive opening win over Senegal. With Kylian Mbappé leading the attack and a squad packed with quality across the pitch, Didier Deschamps’ side will be confident of securing another three points. Meanwhile, Iraq are expected to put up a determined fight and will look to stay compact defensively, but France’s attacking depth and experience should prove too much over 90 minutes.
Prediction: France 3-0 Iraq.
France vs Iraq Probable starting XI
France Probable starting XI
Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan
Defenders: Jules Koundé, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne
Midfielders: Adrien Rabiot, Manu Koné
Attackers: Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola
Forward: Kylian Mbappé
Iraq Probable starting XI
Goalkeeper: Ahmed Basil
Defenders: Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashem, Merchas Doski
Midfielders: Ibrahim Bayesh, Amir Al-Ammari, Zidane Iqbal, Ali Jasim
Forwards: Aymen Hussein, Ali Al-Hamadi
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
1. What time does the France vs Iraq FIFA World Cup 2026 match kick off?
The Group I match kicks off at 5 p.m. Local time / 21:00 GMT / 2:30 a.m. IST
2. Where will the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France vs Iraq take place?
The match will take place at Philadelphia Stadium, Pennsylvania, US
3. How to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between France vs Iraq?
United States – FOX Network, fuboTV, Telemundo, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, FOX One
Canada – TSN+, TSN1, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, CTV, RDS App, CTV App, Crave
México – Canal 5 Televisa, TUDN, Azteca 7, TUDN En Vivo, Las Estrellas, Azteca Deportes En Vivo, ViX México
United Kingdom – BBC Sport Web, BBC One, BBC iPlayer
France – beIN Sports and Groupe M6 (11pm, Central European Summer Time)
Iraq – beIN Sports (12am on Tuesday, Arabia Standard Time)
India – Unite8 Sports Channel
Also Read: Argentina vs Austria Prediction: Will Austria Script A Shocking Upset In Group J Clash?
