Former Australia national team boss Graham Arnold is set to be unveiled as the new head coach of Iraq’s national football team this weekend, just weeks before the country’s pivotal World Cup qualifiers against South Korea and Jordan.
Ahmed Al-Mousawi, a senior official from the Iraqi Football Association (IFA), confirmed on Thursday that the deal to appoint Arnold is nearly complete. “Graham’s contract details are almost finalised and will be announced officially upon his arrival,” Al-Mousawi told the Iraqi News Agency.
Arnold, 61, will bring a team of seven technical staff members, including a high-profile assistant coach with prior English Premier League experience. His appointment follows the dismissal of former head coach Jesus Casas, who was sacked in March after a 2-1 defeat to Palestine that left Iraq sitting third in their group—outside the automatic qualification places.
Arnold previously guided Australia to the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where they narrowly lost to eventual champions Argentina. However, he stepped down in September 2024 following a disappointing start to the 2026 qualifying campaign.
Now, he faces the task of reviving Iraq’s hopes of reaching their first World Cup since their only appearance in 1986. Iraq will host Group B leaders South Korea in Basra on June 5 before traveling to Amman to face second-placed Jordan on June 10. Only the top two teams from the group advance directly to the 2026 finals in North America, while third and fourth place offer a longer qualifying route.
“The coach will meet with the players very shortly,” Al-Mousawi said. “He will give the Iraqi Federation the full opportunity to set up a training camp in Basra Governorate, in preparation for the match against the South Korean national team, followed by another match against the Jordanian national team.”
Arnold’s appointment signals a critical moment for Iraqi football as they seek to return to the global stage after nearly four decades.
