Iraq

Iraq fans watch the 2026 World Cup from Baghdad (AST, UTC+3). Their Group I matches kick off between 22:00 and 01:00 local time, with two overnight fixtures and one accessible late-evening slot.

What the schedule means for Iraqi fans

Arabia Standard Time is UTC+3, sitting 8 hours ahead of Eastern Time in June. The Boston and Philadelphia East Coast venues translate their afternoon and evening US kickoffs into late night in Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, and Erbil.

Group I local kickoff times in Baghdad

• June 16: vs Norway at Boston. 01:00 June 17 (Baghdad)
• June 22: vs France at Philadelphia. 00:00 June 23 (Baghdad)
• June 26: vs Senegal at Toronto. 22:00 (Baghdad)

The Senegal match is the late-evening anchor

The Senegal match on June 26 at 22:00 Baghdad time is the most accessible of the three: a late evening kickoff that requires staying up, but not an all-night commitment. The Norway opener at 01:00 and the France match at midnight both push well into the sleeping hours.

Iraq has not appeared at a World Cup since Mexico 1986, a 40-year absence that makes this tournament return one of the most emotionally significant for any nation in 2026. The overnight schedule is an inconvenience no Iraqi fan will use as an excuse to miss any match.

The Iraqi diaspora spans Sweden, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Swedish fans in Stockholm see the matches at 01:00, 02:00, and 22:00 CEST. Gulf states fans in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait watch from AST, matching Baghdad exactly.

Check Iraq time for live conversions throughout the tournament. For full match previews and analysis, see whensport.com.