The 2026 World Cup may have 13 completely different kickoff instances. You need to use the Al Jazeera Sport widget to seek out out precisely when your staff is taking part in in your native time.
Who: France vs Iraq
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match
The place: Philadelphia Stadium, Pennsylvania, US
When: Monday, 5pm (21:00 GMT)
Tips on how to comply with: We’ll have all of the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 18:00 GMT upfront of our stay textual content commentary stream.
Advisable Tales
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France are one win away from safely navigating the World Cup “group of demise,” with Les Bleus trying to take all three factors to safe Spherical of 32 qualification in opposition to Iraq in Boston.
Two objectives from Kylian Mbappe helped France get better from a shaky first half of their opening match in opposition to Senegal in New Jersey, with Didier Deschamps’ aspect finally working out 3-1 winners.
Iraq, that includes on the World Cup for the primary time since 1986, wish to bounce again from a heavy 4-1 defeat of their opening group recreation in opposition to Norway.
All you want to know earlier than France vs Iraq:
France undergo the gears
It’s onerous to keep away from reaching for the “recreation of two halves” cliche to explain France’s win over Senegal on Tuesday.
Les Bleus had been a shadow of themselves within the first half, with a lot of star gamers failing to carry out as much as expectations on the pitch.
However the Qatar 2022 finalists had been in one other league within the second half, with Actual Madrid’s Mbappe scoring two good objectives as he turned France’s all-time high scorer.
Substitute Bradley Barcola made an prompt impression off the bench, scoring his first-ever World Cup aim simply two minutes after approaching, highlighting the depth of star expertise accessible to Deschamps.
France might tweak, not tinker, for Iraq conflict
Deschamps has typically favoured stability at main tournaments and is unlikely to deviate from that strategy, regardless of an enviable vary of choices in his taking part in squad.
The more than likely modifications are anticipated on the left flank, with Barcola set to exchange Need Doue in assault and Lucas Digne in line to come back in for Theo Hernandez at left again.
One other adjustment might are available in midfield.
Deschamps has held prolonged discussions with Manu Kone in latest days and the 25-year-old was paired with Adrien Rabiot throughout coaching this week, suggesting he could possibly be handed a beginning position.
Iraq face one other large problem
The Lions of Mesopotamia had been the ultimate staff to e book their place on the 2026 World Cup, following a gruelling marketing campaign which noticed them play a file variety of qualifiers.
Their reward was a spot in Group I, which many consultants consider is probably the most tough of the 12 on the event.
After a 4-1 humbling in opposition to Norway, Iraq now face Qatar 2022 runners-up France earlier than their ultimate group recreation in opposition to African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finalists Senegal.
To keep away from elimination, Graham Arnold’s aspect face a monumental job: a draw or a win in opposition to a French aspect that has reached the final two World Cup finals.
France vs Iraq prediction
Les Bleus are the overwhelming favourites, based on Stats supplier Opta’s supercomputer.
France have an 88.5 p.c probability of victory, in comparison with Iraq who’ve only a three p.c probability of pulling off a surprising win, based on Opta.
Their supercomputer sees simply an 8.5 p.c probability of a draw at Boston Stadium on Monday.
Opta now predicts that France has the perfect probability of profitable the World Cup, shifting them forward of Spain who had been the pre-tournament favourites.
France vs Iraq: Livestream, kickoff time
- France: beIN Sports activities and Groupe M6 (11pm, Central European Summer season Time)
- Iraq: beIN Sports activities (12am on Tuesday, Arabia Customary Time)
- United Kingdom: BBC One and BBC iPlayer (10pm, British Summer season Time)
- United States: Universo, FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Community, Peacock (5pm, Japanese Daylight Time)
How does Group I stand?
Norway sit high of Group I on aim distinction after hammering Iraq 4-1 in Boston.
France are second, additionally on three factors, with Senegal and Iraq each with no factors and sitting third and fourth respectively.
The highest two groups from every of the 12 teams – together with the eight finest third-placed groups – proceed to the subsequent section, the spherical of 32, which has been launched on the World Cup for the primary time.
Type information
(Final 5 video games, newest end result first)
France: W-W-L-W-W
Iraq: L-L-D-W-W
The French have received 5 of their final six matches, with their solely slip-up coming in opposition to Ivory Coast in a shock defeat in a World Cup warm-up.
Iraq, in the meantime, don’t have any wins of their final three matches after struggling back-to-back defeats to Norway and Venezuela.
Their final win got here in a pre-World Cup pleasant in opposition to Andorra in Might.
France vs Iraq: Head-to-head
That is the primary time that the 2 sides have ever met in a global match.
Group information: France
Deschamps is about to make a couple of small tweaks for this recreation, with Barcola set to start out after coming off the bench in opposition to Senegal.
Digne and Kone are additionally tipped to start out for France on Monday.
Group information: Iraq
Ali Jasim is obtainable to start out for Iraq after coming off in opposition to Norway with a knock.
Ahmed Basil might begin in aim rather than Jalal Hassan.
France predicted lineup:
Mike Maignan (goalkeeper); Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Digne; Adrien Rabiot, Manu Kone; Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola; Kylian Mbappe.
Iraq predicted lineup:
Ahmed Basil (goalkeeper); Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashem, Merchas Doski; Ibrahim Bayesh, Amir Al-Ammari, Zidane Iqbal, Ali Jasim; Aymen Hussein, Ali Al-Hamadi.
