Iraq fans ‘proud’ and joyful despite World Cup loss to France
Key takeaways
- Iraqis in Philadelphia weather Mbappe and a storm, but still find happiness in their team’s FIFA World Cup performance.
- Forty years later, he was inside the Philadelphia Stadium as his nation returned to the big stage and faced former champions France.
- Despite a crushing 3-0 loss in his team’s second Group I match, Alkabasi says he is grateful to witness Iraq live at the tournament.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Iraqis in Philadelphia weather Mbappe and a storm, but still find happiness in their team’s FIFA World Cup performance.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Iraq fans cheer for their team despite the stormy weather and the much stronger opposition at Philadelphia Stadium [Kyle Ross/Reuters]By Ali Harb Published On 23 Jun 202623 Jun 2026Philadelphia, United States — The first time Ali Alkabasi saw Iraq play at a World Cup was on television when he was 13 years old. Forty years later, he was inside the Philadelphia Stadium as his nation returned to the big stage and faced former champions France.
Despite a crushing 3-0 loss in his team’s second Group I match, Alkabasi says he is grateful to witness Iraq live at the tournament.