Iqbal Set to Be First Pakistani-Heritage World Cup
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- Zidane Iqbal is poised to become the first player of Pakistani heritage to play in a men's World Cup, representing Iraq on Tuesday in a group-stage match.
- Pakistan, a nation of more than 240 million people ranked 198th in the FIFA world rankings, has never reached a World Cup and has won just one qualifying game in its entire history.
- Iqbal was born and raised in Manchester, came through the Manchester United academy, and became the first British South Asian to play in the Champions League in almost 20 years.
- Iraq secured their place at the tournament after a gruelling 21-game qualifying run — the most fixtures of any nation — marking their first World Cup appearance since Mexico 1986.
- Iraq's group-stage draw pits them against two-time winners France, a Norway side featuring Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard, and Africa Cup of Nations finalists Senegal.
- Ahmed Shahzad, who runs the Pakistani Talents social media account, told BBC Sport that Pakistani fans are treating Iraq as a team to support, saying 'Pakistan now has a nation to support at the World Cup.'
Why it matters: For Pakistan — a country of 240 million people that has never appeared at a men's World Cup and sits 198th in the FIFA rankings — Iqbal's milestone gives a nation without a team on the biggest stage a player to rally behind. With a large British Pakistani diaspora and growing grassroots football interest, his visibility as a Premier League academy graduate representing Iraq could serve as a rare tangible pathway for young South Asian footballers.
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