Ali al-Hamadi
Iraqi striker who scored Iraq's opening goal to launch their first World Cup in 40 years.
Last refreshed: 1 April 2026
Can Al-Hamadi deliver at the World Cup finals after qualifying under closed airspace?
Timeline for Ali al-Hamadi
Iraq Qualify for First World Cup in 40 Years
2026 FIFA World Cup- Who scored for Iraq against Bolivia in 2026 World Cup qualifier?
- Ali al-Hamadi scored in the 10th minute and Aymen Hussein added a second on 53 minutes. Bolivia's Moisés Paniagua scored a consolation. Iraq won 2-1.Source: Al Jazeera
- Who is Ali al-Hamadi and what team does he play for?
- Ali al-Hamadi is an Iraqi international striker who plays club football in Europe. He scored Iraq's opening goal in the 10th minute of their 2026 World Cup playoff against Bolivia in Monterrey on 31 March — Iraq's first World Cup qualification in 40 years.Source: FIFA
Background
Ali al-Hamadi is an Iraqi striker who plays club football in Europe and represents the Iraqi national team. On 31 March 2026, he scored Iraq's opening goal in the 10th minute of their World Cup playoff against Bolivia in Monterrey, helping Iraq qualify for the tournament for the first time in 40 years.
The match was played amid extraordinary logistics. Iraqi airspace had been closed since the Iran-US conflict escalated in March, forcing players to travel on separate chartered flights through third countries. Coach Graham Arnold waited outside the team hotel to receive European-based players arriving independently. Al-Hamadi's early goal settled nerves and established the platform Iraq held through to a final 2-1 victory. Iraq join Group I alongside France, Senegal and Norway.
