France will look to secure a place in the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup when they face Iraq in their second Group I fixture in Philadelphia on Monday.
A victory for Didier Deschamps‘ side would leave the former world champions on the brink of progression with a match still to spare, following their successful start to the tournament against Senegal.
Les Bleus opened their campaign with a 3-1 victory over the African side, although the scoreline did not fully reflect the challenges they faced. Senegal threatened to make life uncomfortable before France’s attacking quality eventually proved decisive.
At the centre of that success was Kylian Mbappe, who delivered another landmark performance on the international stage. The French captain scored twice in the contest and, in doing so, further cemented his place in the country’s football history.
His goals saw him become the highest-scoring male player in French international football, moving beyond Olivier Giroud’s previous mark. Mbappe also eclipsed Just Fontaine’s long-standing record for the most World Cup goals scored by a French male player.
The forward’s latest achievements have added to an already remarkable international career and helped France take an important step towards the last 32.
France enter the second round of matches occupying second place in Group I. Although they matched Norway’s winning start, the Scandinavian side’s more emphatic 4-1 victory over Iraq has left them ahead on goal difference.
Deschamps’ men therefore know that another three points could prove crucial in the race for top spot, even as qualification itself comes into view.
While France have continued to impress in attack, defensive concerns remain. Ibrahim Mbaye’s goal for Senegal extended a sequence that has seen Les Bleus fail to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive matches.
However, their ability to score freely has largely compensated for those shortcomings.
France have now found the net in 14 successive matches and have scored at least twice in 13 of those games. That consistent attacking threat will be a source of concern for an Iraq side still searching for its first points at a World Cup finals tournament.
Iraq’s campaign began with a heavy 4-1 defeat to Norway, despite showing signs of promise during large parts of the contest. The Lions of Mesopotamia briefly restored parity through Aymen Hussein after falling behind, giving their supporters hope that they could challenge one of the group’s strongest teams.
However, a series of costly mistakes in the latter stages allowed Norway to pull away and secure a convincing victory.
Head coach Graham Arnold nevertheless drew positives from the display, particularly his team’s competitiveness for much of the match.
Iraq remain mathematically capable of reaching the knockout phase, but their margin for error has become extremely small. Another defeat, coupled with Norway avoiding defeat against Senegal, would effectively end any realistic hopes of a top-two finish and leave Iraq relying on a third-place route to progress.
History also presents a challenge.
The nation’s only previous World Cup appearance in 1986 ended without a point, following three defeats. Iraq have therefore yet to register a point at the finals and enter Monday’s contest seeking to avoid extending that unwanted record.
Recent form offers only limited encouragement. Arnold’s side have won just one of their last six matches, although they have managed to score in nine of their previous 11 games across all competitions.
France are expected to have a near fully-fit squad available despite recent concerns surrounding defenders William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez and Malo Gusto.
Several changes could be made to the side that defeated Senegal. Lucas Digne is tipped to replace Hernandez at left-back, while Manu Kone may come into midfield in place of Aurelien Tchouameni. Bradley Barcola, who scored against Senegal and became the youngest French player to score on his World Cup debut since Thierry Henry 28 years ago, is also pushing for a starting role.
Iraq have received encouraging fitness news of their own. Winger Ali Jasim has returned to full training after suffering a knock against Norway, while goalkeeper Jalal Hassan has overcome a minor issue. Nevertheless, reports suggest Ahmed Basil could be selected in goal after Hassan’s difficult outing in the opening match.
Attention will also be on striker Aymen Hussein, whose eventful performance against Norway included both a goal and an own goal. In doing so, he became only the third player to score for and against his own team in the same World Cup match.
With France aiming to confirm their status as serious contenders and Iraq battling to keep their tournament alive, Monday’s meeting could have major implications for the shape of Group I.
