Iraq vs Bolivia: who will secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
In a key qualifier for the 2026 World Cup, Iraq will face Bolivia on Wednesday, April 1, with kickoff scheduled for 5:00 CET, and I suggest a betting option for this clash.
Iraq vs Bolivia: match preview
Iraq have been pushing for a long time to reach the 2026 World Cup and they continue their campaign. This match will be the most important one yet. They began from the second round of qualification, progressed to the third, and then advanced through the fourth and fifth stages.
They managed to overcome the UAE 3–2 on aggregate across two matches and have now reached the final of the Intercontinental Play-off. Prior to that, they competed in the FIFA Arab Cup, where the team made it to the knockout stage but were eliminated in the quarter-finals. However, that now pales in significance compared to this match.
This fixture is equally vital for Bolivia, who managed to jump on the last train and qualify for the Intercontinental Play-off. In the final round of CONMEBOL World Cup qualification, the Bolivians defeated Brazil 1–0 to climb to seventh place in the standings. Following that, they played eight friendlies, winning two, losing five, and drawing one.
In the semi-final of the Intercontinental Play-off, Bolivia faced Suriname national football team and secured a positive result. Suriname struck first, but Bolivia responded and turned the game around, winning 2–1 to advance.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Iraq have lost their last two matches.
- Bolivia have won their previous two games.
- Out of their last ten matches, Iraq have won six and drawn twice.
- These teams have met once before: in 2018, the match ended in a 0–0 draw.
Probable lineups
- Iraq: Basil Fadhil, Ahmed Maknzi, Yahya, Younis, Hashim, Saadoon, Zaid Ismael, Attwan, Nabeel, Ali, Jasim
- Bolivia: Viscarra, Haquín, Cuéllar, Medina, Morales, Terceros, Villamil, Robson Matheus, Fernández, Vaca, Monteiro
Prediction
An extremely important game for both sides, as the winner will earn a place at the 2026 World Cup. We can expect a tense, hard-fought encounter, and I suggest a bet on under 2.5 total goals.
