FIFA WC: When and where to watch France vs Iraq, know all details
Philadelphia, June 22
France will look to take another significant step towards the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stages when they face Iraq in their second Group I fixture at Philadelphia Stadium in Pennsylvania. With the group beginning to take shape after the opening round of matches, the contest presents a chance for Les Bleus to build momentum, while Iraq will be desperate to get their campaign back on track after an opening-day setback.
Didier Deschamps' side began their World Cup journey with an impressive comeback performance against Senegal. After being held in check for much of the opening half, France found another gear after the break to claim a convincing 3-1 victory at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Kylian Mbappe once again proved decisive with two well-taken goals, while Bradley Barcola added the third after coming off the bench to ensure France collected maximum points.
Iraq, meanwhile, endured a difficult start against Norway in their tournament opener. Although Aymen Hussein briefly restored parity with an excellent first-half strike after Erling Haaland had opened the scoring, the Lions of Mesopotamia were unable to withstand Norway's relentless attacking pressure, eventually slipping to a 4-1 defeat.
As things stand, Norway sit atop Group I courtesy of a superior goal difference, with France level on three points in second place. Senegal and Iraq remain without a point after Matchday 1 and will be under increasing pressure to keep their qualification hopes alive.
How to watch France vs Iraq live in India
Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.
Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.
Key details
Date and kick-off time: Tuesday, June 23, 02:30 AM IST
Venue: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, USA
Referee: Drew Fischer
Squads
France -
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Robin Risser, Brice Samba
Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Kounde, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano
Midfielders: N'Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaire-Emery
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram
Iraq-
Goalkeepers: Ahmed Basil, Jalal Hassan, Fahad Talib
Defenders: Hussein Ali, Merchas Doski, Akam Hashem, Frans Putros, Mustafa Saadoon, Rebin Sulaka, Zaid Tahseen, Ahmed Maknazi, Manaf Younis
Midfielders: Amir Al-Ammari, Youssef Amyn, Ibrahim Bayesh, Marko Farji, Zidane Iqbal, Zaid Ismail, Ali Jassim, Ahmed Qasim, Aimar Sher, Kevin Yakob
Forwards: Mohanad Ali, Aymen Hussein, Ali Al-Hamadi, Ali Yousef
— IANS
Reader Comments
Nice to see Iraq at the World Cup stage again. They've got Aymen Hussein who scored against Norway—solid striker. But honestly, France's depth is unreal. They can bring on players like Barcola and Olise from the bench while other teams dream of having them as starters. Night match for us in India, but worth it for World Cup action!
Iraq's midfield looks decent with Zidane Iqbal and Ali Jassim—young talents who could cause problems. But against France's press? Tough ask. Also, a small request to broadcasters: please improve streaming quality during live matches. Too many buffering issues during prime World Cup games! 🙏
France's squad is absolutely stacked—look at that midfield: Kante, Tchouameni, Rabiot... world-class depth. And Mbappe is just on another planet right now. Iraq will need to defend deep and hit on the counter, but against France's back four? Unlikely. Still, giving a shout-out to our Asian brothers—go Iraq, make us proud! 🇮🇶
Wake up at 2:30 AM? Absolutely! I've been following the WC since 2010 and this is non-negotiable for me. France vs Iraq will be a mismatch on paper, but in football, anything can happen. Remember Saudi Arabia vs Argentina in 2022? 🤷🏻♀️ Iraqis have heart—never underestimate that. Zee5, please keep the stream stable, that's all we ask!
One minor critique—France sometimes gets complacent
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.