FIFA President Gianni Infantino has welcomed Iraq Football Association (IFA) President Younis Mahmoud and an IFA delegation to the Home of FIFA in Zürich, Switzerland — a meeting that came less than three months after the two men shared a historic FIFA World Cup 2026 moment together in Philadelphia.

Infantino and Mahmoud were both present for the France-Iraq Group I match on 22 June at Philadelphia Stadium, when Iraq made a stirring return to the FIFA World Cup after a 40-year absence. The Lions of Mesopotamia, whom Mahmoud captained for a decade, were back on the world's biggest stage and the momentum from that experience has carried directly into this partnership.

A vision for Iraqi football

At the Home of FIFA, both leaders discussed a shared roadmap for developing the game across Iraq. Central to those conversations were youth engagement, talent development, and long-term growth.

"It was wonderful to sit down with Iraqi Football Association President Younis Mahmoud at the Home of FIFA to discuss our shared vision for developing the game and promoting its growth," Infantino said. "Building on our recent conversations and the historic participation of Iraq in the FIFA World Cup 2026, we spoke about inspiring the next generation of Iraqi footballers, engaging youth through the FIFA Football for Schools programme, and expanding talent pathways."

He added: "I thanked President Mahmoud for his leadership and passion, and reaffirmed FIFA's full support for the Iraqi Football Association as we work together to ensure Iraqi football continues to thrive on the world stage."

A legend steps into leadership

Mahmoud brings an unmatched footballing pedigree to his new role. Elected as IFA President in May 2026 after serving as deputy to former president Adnan Dirjal, he retired from playing in 2016 as Iraq's all-time caps leader with 148 senior international appearances and 57 international goals — third on the country's all-time list. His greatest moment as a player came in 2007, when he inspired Iraq to a landmark AFC Asian Cup title.

Grassroots reach and future competitions

The IFA's involvement in FIFA's development programmes is already producing results. The FIFA Football for Schools initiative has reached 250,000 children across 600 schools in Iraq, supported by the distribution of more than 30,000 footballs. The IFA is also engaging with the FIFA Talent Development Scheme and has applied for funding to support projects designed to identify and nurture young talent.

On the pitch, Iraq are preparing for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup (7 January–5 February in Saudi Arabia), where they will face Tajikistan, Australia, and Singapore in the group stage. Meanwhile, the women's team — the Lionesses — are riding high after a historic 2025 campaign that included their first-ever FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying victory, a 5-2 win over Mongolia, and a bronze medal at the 2025 WAFF Women's Championship in Saudi Arabia.