In the second round of Group I matches at the 2026 World Cup, France will take on Iraq. After their opening match, France defeated Senegal 3-1, showing strong attacking firepower; Iraq, meanwhile, lost 1-4 to Norway, and their qualification prospects are already flashing a red light. For Iraq, this match is almost a must-win; if they suffer another defeat, their hopes of advancing will become extremely slim.

France remains one of the favorites to win this World Cup, and their squad depth is nothing short of impressive. Whether it’s the speed and ability for individual breakthroughs in the front line, or the ball control and organization in midfield, they are clearly better than most teams. In their first match against Senegal, a side known for strong physical play, France was still able to control the tempo of the game, indicating that the team has been gradually settling into its best form.

By contrast, Iraq’s first match exposed a lack of stability in their back line, especially when dealing with rapid counterattacks, where their defense often ends up with confusion in positioning. Although the team showed decent fighting spirit and running ability in attack, there is still a clear gap between their overall strength and that of world-class teams. Against France’s high-intensity pressure and smooth wing attacks, Iraq will likely find it hard to keep their goal under control for long.

From a tactical perspective, Iraq is expected to adopt a more conservative defensive counterattacking approach, using dense defending to compress the space in the middle and looking for opportunities to break quickly on the counter. However, France excels at using the pace of their wide forwards to stretch the defense, and once the match rhythm is sped up, Iraq’s stamina will be consumed at a substantial rate.

Overall, France has an overwhelming advantage in terms of players’ individual ability, World Cup experience, and the execution of their overall tactics. As long as they perform normally, taking all three points will not be difficult. It is expected that France will control most of the possession, and the final score is tipped to be France 3-0 or 4-1 over Iraq, as they advance out of the group early.