Iraqi Olympic Committee to Investigate World Cup Performance and Plan for Future Success

Investigation into Iraq's World Cup Campaign

New York [US], June 30: The Iraqi Olympic Committee has announced plans to investigate the national football team's disappointing performance during the FIFA World Cup and to implement strategies aimed at preventing similar outcomes in future tournaments.

After a 40-year absence from the finals, Iraq faced a tough reality, losing all three matches in a challenging group that featured former champions France, Norway, and the strong African team Senegal.

The team exited the tournament without earning a single point, conceding a total of 12 goals, which highlighted the significant gap between Iraq and more established football nations.

Aqeel Muftin, president of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, stated that a meeting will be convened with officials from the Iraqi Football Association to analyze the reasons behind the team's poor performance and to create a plan for improvement.

Muftin expressed the collective disappointment over the results, saying, “We will meet with Football Association officials to investigate the reasons for the team's decline in performance at the World Cup and to formulate a strategy for improvement,” as reported by the Iraqi News Agency.

He emphasized that discussions following the team's return will focus on ensuring that such setbacks do not occur again, with a comprehensive plan that includes short-, medium-, and long-term strategies to identify and address weaknesses.

Muftin also highlighted that the responsibility for rebuilding the national team is shared among various stakeholders, stating, “The national team does not belong solely to the Olympic Committee, the federation, or the government—it belongs to the nation, and everyone is responsible for supporting it and ensuring its success.”