France and Iraq head to Philadelphia where they are set to clash for the first time at FIFA World Cup level at the midway point of Group I action.
Group I
Tuesday, 23 June | Philadelphia Stadium
Kick-off time
05:00 (GMT+8)
The match
France and Iraq will clash for the first time at FIFA World Cup™ in this Group I corner-turner in Philadelphia. France enter the match having defeated Senegal by 3-1 in their opening game. Iraq, will be looking to secure their first points at the global showpiece. France could secure their place in the Round of 32 if they defeat Iraq and Senegal fail to beat Norway in the other Group I match.
France possible starting XI
Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe
Iraq possible starting XI
Hassan; Ali, Tahseen, Hashem, Doski; Farji, Bayesh, Al Ammari, Zaid Ismael, Jasim; Hussein, Al Hamadi
What they said…
“I think we’re building on what came before. In terms of what we do on the pitch, I believe we’re a more attack-minded team than we were in 2018 and 2022. We’re a side that is much more focused on going forward. But in terms of the group itself, I think it’s a continuation of everything that has been built throughout the coach’s 14-year tenure. It’s the evolution of his philosophy and his methods, along with the arrival of a number of talented young players. We know the road ahead is going to be very long. We’ve only won one match so far. We have a game that will be difficult. But we’re on the right path toward what we want to achieve. I don’t think we’re trying to look too far ahead, because a World Cup is very unpredictable.” Kylian Mbappe, captain of France
“We mustn’t think this is going to be an easy match, because [Iraq] have quality. I’ve seen so many other games where, on paper, there was a clear gap between the two teams. That didn’t stop the supposedly smaller side from causing problems. Even Spain, one of the tournament favourites, had some difficulties in their opening match, at least in terms of the result. So we’ll approach this game with the same seriousness, the same focus and the same commitment, while keeping our objective firmly in mind. As I’ve said before, our aim is to make sure that, after this second match, we’ve secured qualification.” Didier Deschamps, France head coach
“I asked if we could play three goalkeepers [to counter Kylian Mbappe]. But they said no (laughs). No, look, they’ve got some incredible players and it’s an honour [to play them]. It’s an honour and we will go out and we’ll focus on our own performance. We can’t control France’s performance, but we can control our own and we’re making sure that the players are completely ready to go out there and show the world what they’re about and that’s the most important thing.” Graham Arnold, Iraq coach
Philadelphia Stadium
Philadelphia Stadium opened with a blockbuster friendly match between Manchester United against Barcelona in August 2003, with Ronaldinho setting up Patrick Kluivert to score the arena’s first goal. It would go on to house USA national team games, the 2015 Gold Cup final and Manchester United again in the years since, as well as becoming the permanent residence of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and the temporary home of MLS team Philadelphia Union during the 2010 season.
The venue was the setting for a total of eight fixtures during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, with six group games, one Round of 16 match and eventual winners Chelsea’s quarter-final victory over Palmeiras, which was also played on 4 July.