Iraq retain Graham Arnold as focus turns to Gulf Cup and Asian Cup

The Iraqi Football Association has agreed to extend Graham Arnold’s contract as head coach of the Lions of Mesopotamia for seven months, despite the team’s first-round exit from the 2026 World Cup.

The deal will keep the Australian in charge for Iraq’s next major assignments, including the Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup.

Mohammed Nasser, the second deputy president of the Iraqi Football Association, confirmed the agreement to the Iraqi News Agency on Wednesday. He said the federation had originally hoped to offer Arnold a four-year contract, while the coach initially wanted a one-year deal.

After a series of negotiations, however, both parties agreed on a shorter extension designed to cover the schedule of upcoming competitions.

Nasser said the contract had been signed provisionally by the two sides, with the remaining administrative procedures now being completed within the federation. A formal signing ceremony is expected to take place in Baghdad in the coming period.

The agreement includes penalty clauses intended to protect both parties. Nasser said the federation had taken care to ensure the contract safeguarded the interests of both Arnold’s coaching staff and the association.

He declined to disclose the financial value of the deal, saying those details remained confidential under the terms agreed between the two parties.

The decision to keep Arnold follows Iraq’s disappointing early departure from the 2026 World Cup, but underlines the federation’s desire for continuity as the national side prepares for its next challenges.

Iraq are due to compete in the Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup during the period covered by the new agreement. The federation has therefore opted to maintain Arnold’s leadership rather than make a change on the touchline after the World Cup disappointment.

Arnold, who previously managed Australia, took charge of Iraq’s national team and will now remain responsible for guiding the Lions of Mesopotamia through the next phase of their international programme.

There had been earlier media reports suggesting Morocco head coach Walid Regragui was a candidate to take over in Iraq. Those reports have effectively been ended by the federation’s agreement with Arnold.

The seven-month arrangement reflects the competing preferences that shaped the negotiations: the Iraqi federation had sought a long-term commitment, while Arnold was initially reluctant to sign beyond one year. The final compromise gives both sides an agreement linked to the immediate tournament calendar.

Although the formal ceremony in Baghdad has yet to take place, the provisional signatures mean the two sides have reached an agreement in principle. The federation’s remaining work is administrative rather than a further negotiation over Arnold’s future.

For now, Iraq will enter its forthcoming Gulf Cup and AFC Asian Cup preparations with the coach who led the side through the 2026 World Cup campaign still in place.