Senegal versus Iraq
- Kick-off:
- Stadium: BMO Field · Toronto, Canada
Senegal
Senegal arrive at their fourth tournament — third consecutive — and as the most credible African contender. Pape Thiaw, who took over from Aliou Cissé in 2024, retains the structure that delivered the 2022 round of 16 and the 2021 Africa Cup. Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) and Édouard Mendy (Al-Ahli) form the spine; Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace) and Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) inject Premier League pace; Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) is the midfield future. The Lions of Teranga have the squad to make a deep run but lost AFCON 2025 in the round of 16, raising questions. Group I with France, Norway and Iraq is brutal — second place is the realistic target, but it requires beating Norway and not collapsing against France.
Iraq
Iraq make their second tournament appearance and first since 1986 — a four-decade absence ending in extraordinary fashion. Jesús Casas, the Spanish coach who succeeded in qualifying Iraq via the play-off path, has built around a young, hungry generation: Aymen Hussein leads the line; Ali Al-Hamadi (Ipswich) and Mohanad Ali provide attacking options; Hussein Ali and Manaf Younis anchor the back. The Lions of Mesopotamia famously won the 2007 Asian Cup just months after the war's peak, a moment seared into national memory. Group I with France, Senegal and Norway is the toughest possible draw — survival to the round of 32 demands a near-miracle. But qualifying was already a generational achievement; the tournament itself is a victory lap.
BMO Field
BMO Field hosts six matches in 2026, including round-of-32 fixtures and Canada's Group A campaign as co-host nation. Located on Toronto's lakeshore at Exhibition Place, the venue opened in 2007 as the home of Toronto FC (MLS) and Canadian football team Toronto Argonauts. Capacity has been temporarily expanded for the tournament from approximately 30,000 to 45,500 via additional stands. The pitch is natural grass. Climate: Toronto summers are mild (22-27°C) with low humidity and modest rain risk — among the best-conditioned venues in the tournament. The lakeshore location also moderates extremes. The Greater Toronto Area is the most ethnically diverse metropolis in North America by some measures, and the city's deep multicultural communities — South Asian, Caribbean, European, East African — give BMO Field built-in supporter resonance for many participating nations.