Where to watch France vs Iraq live at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
France enters the field this Monday (22) ready to take another step towards the round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The opponent is Iraq, who are in the opposite situation after defeat in their debut. The game takes place at Lincoln Financial Field, in Philadelphia, United States, starting at 6pm (Brasília time).
Didier Deschamps must maintain the base that beat Senegal 3-1 in the first round. The French team, third in the FIFA rankings, has the collaboration of names like Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembélé and the defensive solidity of William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano. Mbappé, who has already scored twice in the competition, arrives motivated to expand his historic record with the national team.
On the Iraqi side, coach Graham Arnold needs to motivate a team that suffered a rout in the opening. Iraq, 57th in the ranking, bets on a compact 4-4-2 defensive posture to try to exploit counterattacks. Players like Aymen Hussein and Ali Al-Hamadi are the main references in the attack. The challenge is enormous against one of the favorites for the title.
Probable lineups and French strategy
France should play in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Mike Maignan in goal. The defense has Jules Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano and Lucas Digne or Theo Hernández. In the middle, Adrien Rabiot and Manu Koné or Aurélien Tchouaméni provide balance. In attack, Olise, Dembélé (or Bradley Barcola) and Mbappé form the offensive front.
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Iraq should repeat the 4-4-2 formation, with Jalal Hassan in goal and a defensive line made up of Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashem and Merchas Doski. In the middle, Amir Al-Ammari and Ibrahim Bayesh try to create plays. The idea is to resist the initial pressure and look for spaces in quick transitions.
What’s at stake in Group I
After the first round, Group I has Norway in the lead with 3 points, followed by France also with 3. Senegal and Iraq have 0. A French victory practically guarantees a place in the round of 16, while Iraq needs to add points to maintain chances of advancement.
The clash marks the first meeting between the teams in World Cups. France arrive with a recent record of convincing victories against lower-ranked teams, while Iraq are looking to repeat the resilience shown in Asian qualifiers.
Duel broadcast and details
The game will be broadcast live on CazéTV (YouTube), Betano and possibly Prime Video, depending on the region. The referee is Canadian Drew Fischer, known for his low card average. The Lincoln Financial Field stadium, home of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL, hosts its first World Cup match with a capacity for more than 69 thousand fans.
