Iraq’s Arab Cup Vision Hit by Injuries as Trio Dropped and Replacements Called Up

Injury-hit Iraq name replacements for Arab Cup

Graham Arnold, the Australian head coach of the Iraq national team, has left out Ibrahim Bayesh, a midfielder from Al-Riyadh, Osama Rashid, a midfielder from Zakho, and Amir Sabah, a right-back from Al-Shorta, from the squad for the Arab Cup due to injuries.

The tournament kicks off in Qatar next Monday and runs through December 18, with Iraq placed in Group Four. The Lions of Iraq open their campaign against Bahrain on Wednesday, then meet Sudan on December 6 and Algeria on December 9.

A statement from the Iraqi Football Association said the exclusions were due to injuries, with medical reports from their clubs indicating they had not fully recovered and would not be able to participate.

Iraq adds depth with three replacements

Amjad Atwan (28) of Zakho captained his side and has featured eight league matches this season, while Osama Rashid (33) brings extensive international experience with clubs such as Feyenoord’s youth system, Ferencváros, Lokomotiv Plovdiv, and Gaziantep, and has 41 international caps after representing the Netherlands at youth level.

Ibrahim Bayesh (25) remains sidelined with an injury from Al-Riyadh, having played four league games this season and earning 71 international caps with Iraq, scoring eight goals.

Amjad Atwan (28) — captain of Zakho — has 83 international caps with Iraq and four goals; Sherko Karim (29) has 26 international caps and one goal after stints with Zakho, Kirkuk, Grasshopper in Switzerland, Vaduz, and Zurigo in Austria, before returning to Iraq; Zaid Ismail (23) plays for Al-Talaba, has seven league appearances this season and is earning his first international cap.

History-wise, Iraq has claimed the Arab Cup title four times, missing the inaugural 1963 edition but lifting the trophy in 1964 (Kuwait), 1966 (host nation), 1985 (Saudi Arabia) and 1988 (Jordan); they finished third in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Iraq also qualified for the 2026 World Cup playoff via the Asian qualifiers after beating the UAE 2-1 in the playoff, advancing to the global playoff in Mexico to decide the World Cup participant. The Lions of Iraq aim to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 in Mexico.

The Lions now prepare to face the winner of Bolivia vs. Suriname in the global playoff final in Mexico, a path that could land Iraq at the 2026 World Cup, provided destiny cooperates and the ball stays out of mischief.

Punchline time: If injuries are the only thing bending the squad, at least the ball won’t be the one limping to the bench. And if the replacements are late to the briefing, think of them as coming with a fashionably fresh Achilles’ heel—the boots, not the attitude.