DOHA: Iraq suffered a 4-1 defeat against Norway in its opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, but the game marked a historic moment for Pakistan as midfielder Zidane Iqbal became the first footballer of Pakistani origin to appear in the tournament.
According to international media reports, Iqbal came on as a substitute in the 59th minute, making his World Cup debut and representing Iraq on football’s biggest stage.
Born in Manchester, England, the 23-year-old has a mixed heritage, with his father hailing from Sahiwal in Pakistan’s Punjab province and his mother from Iraq, making him eligible to represent England, Pakistan or Iraq.
Iqbal’s journey to the Iraqi national team included contact from football-linked social media pages and the Iraqi Football Association, which reached out to him and his family through multiple video calls to convince him to represent Iraq.
In a previous interview, Iqbal said the support and affection from Iraqi fans played a key role in his decision to join the national team.
While Iraq could not secure a win in its opening match, the appearance of a player of Pakistani origin on the World Cup stage was widely seen as a landmark moment for Pakistani football supporters, as the country has yet to qualify for the tournament itself.