Al-Hamadi Named in Iraq Squad For World Cup Play-Off
Monday, 16th Mar 2026 18:37

On-loan Town striker Ali Al-Hamadi has been named in the Iraq squad for their World Cup intercontinental play-off later this month.

The Lions of Mesopotamia will face either Bolivia or Suriname for a place in the finals in Monterrey, Mexico on Tuesday 31st March.

Due to the current travel disruption in the Middle East, the home-based members of the squad will be flying out to Mexico in a chartered plane later this week.

Al-Hamadi, who has spent the season on loan at Luton Town, has previously won 15 full caps, scoring four goals.

If Iraq win their play-off, they will reach the finals for only the second time, having previously qualified in 1986.

Elsewhere, Blues midfielder Marcelino Nunez has, as expected, been left out of the Chile squad for their friendlies in New Zealand against the All Whites and Cape Verde.

The 26-year-old is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury but expected back after the international break.

Meanwhile, former Town striker David McGoldrick is being linked with a surprise return to international action with the Republic of Ireland, aged 38.

The Sky Bet League One Player of the Month award for February has netted 17 goals in all competitions this season for Barnsley, who he joined in the summer and since the start of 2026 has bagged 12 goals and picked up three assists in 14 games.

“I've heard a lot about it and had a lot of messages,” he told Sky Sports regarding the speculation of a return to international football. “I looked on my Instagram the other day and there were Irish flags everywhere saying come home.

“Just being brought up in those conversations again at my age means I’m doing something right.

“I would reconsider it, but I haven’t heard anything officially. I know there have been a lot of injuries and I haven’t heard anything officially.

“I’ve been watching as a fan since I retired in 2020. Right now I’m just concentrating on scoring goals for my club and what will be, will be.”

Ireland play Czechia away in their World Cup play-off semi-final, then would host either Denmark or North Macedonia at home in the final.

McGoldrick, who won 14 caps, scoring one goal before hanging ups international boots, added regarding his summer plans: “My schedule is free!”

Current Blues Dara O’Shea, Jack Taylor and Kasey McAteer, and loan duo Chieo Ogbene and Sammie Szmodics are all likely to be in the squad named later in the week.

Photo: Matchday Images

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armchaircritic59 added 18:47 - Mar 16 Totally forgot AAH was on loan. There's virtually zero chance of him coming back here i'd say, but I wish him well. As for DM, he's a credit to himself and the game. Never lost an eye for a goal.
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cartman1972 added 19:53 - Mar 16 Who ?
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tetchris added 20:40 - Mar 16 Forgot we still own him
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jas0999 added 21:18 - Mar 16 How’s he doing at Luton?
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MickMillsTash added 22:50 - Mar 16 Brilliant if Al-Hamedi makes the World Cup. Lets hope those play-off games do not go to penalties
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PortmanTerrorist added 08:45 - Mar 17 AAH is still young, was/is raw, but don't forget how sought after he was before coming to Town, and the variety of goals he scored. I will be cheering him and Iraq on, and if he does go to the World Cup then no one will have earned it more....probably find he then gets picked off by a mid level Serie A side from Italy ! Good luck Ali
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KBsSocks added 11:05 - Mar 17 8 appearances no goals no assists 231 min played for them and https://www.lutontown.co.uk/en
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armchaircritic59 added 19:21 - Mar 17

KBsSocks, to be fair, 231 minutes played is equivalant to about 2 and a half actual games, not exactly something to judge anyone on. Which is why when using stats for something like goals per game, it's actually much better and fairer whenever possible to use goals per actual playing time. For instance, George Hirst, played 1746 minutes this Championship season so far, with 9 goals and one assist. Which equates to a goal every 194 minutes, which itself equates to a goal around every other match. My benchmark for a player to be called a proper striker is 1 in 2.5 games, so he's inside that metric. If replicated over the whole season he'd be sitting on around 23 goals! And yep, that surprised me as well!