Iraq vs Venezuela Preview, Prediction & Lineups Pre-World Cup Friendly

Iraq face Venezuela in a Pre-World Cup Friendly on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, with kickoff set for 8:00 PM CT / 9:00 PM ET / 01:00 UTC June 10 / 02:00 BST June 10 / 06:00 PKT June 10 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. Iraq play their last public tune-up before the World Cup 2026 after returning to the finals for the first time in 40 years, while Venezuela travel under a new long-term project after missing qualification.

Iraq have momentum from the Bolivia play-off win, the Andorra friendly victory and the 1-1 draw against Spain. Venezuela bring a stronger FIFA ranking, experienced attackers and a rebuild that has already produced a 4-1 FIFA Series win over Trinidad and Tobago. The Iraq vs Venezuela prediction weighs recent form, team news, H2H context, tactical matchup and projected lineups before a direct score call.

Iraq vs Venezuela Prediction

Venezuela have the higher ranking and more established South American attacking names, but Iraq enter with better tournament urgency. Arnold’s side can keep the game close if the double pivot protects the centre-backs and Hussein wins enough first contacts. Venezuela should create chances through Soteldo and Savarino, yet their defensive transition remains the main concern.

Prediction: Iraq 1-1 Venezuela. Iraq’s recent Spain draw shows the team can survive long defensive phases, while Venezuela have enough quality to score from a wide overload or set piece. A draw fits the late-friendly setting and the likely rotation on both benches.

Projected Lineups

Official starting XIs are usually confirmed close to kickoff. The projected card below stays useful before team sheets arrive because it shows the expected formations, player roles, and tactical balance.

Iraq national football team vs Venezuela national football team lineups are projected until official team sheets are confirmed. Use the lineup card to compare expected roles, formations, and final XI changes close to kickoff.

Official starting XIs are yet to be confirmed. The projected lineups below use latest squad patterns, recent selections and the tactical needs of both teams before kickoff.

Iraq

4-2-3-1

12Jalal HassanAl-ZawraaGK

2Hussein AliHeerenveenRB

4Rebin SulakaSiriusCB

5Zaid TahseenAl-TalabaCB

23Merchas DoskiSlovackoLB

6Amir Al-AmmariHalmstadCM

18Zidane IqbalUtrechtCM

7Ibrahim BayeshAl-RiyadhRW

10Youssef AmynEintracht BraunschweigLW

17Ali JasimComoCAM

9Aymen HusseinAl-KhorST

Venezuela

4-2-3-1

1Rafael RomoUniversidad CatolicaGK

4Jon AramburuReal SociedadRB

3Yordan OsorioParmaCB

2Nahuel FerraresiSao PauloCB

15Miguel NavarroTalleresLB

6Cristian Casseres Jr.ToulouseCM

8Yangel HerreraGironaCM

10Jefferson SavarinoBotafogoRW

11Yeferson SoteldoFluminenseLW

19Kevin KelsyPortland TimbersST

23Salomon RondonPachucaST

Projected lineup view · Iraq vs Venezuela · official XIs yet to be confirmed

Iraq vs Venezuela Match Details

Iraq vs Venezuela H2H Record

Iraq and Venezuela do not have a clean verified senior H2H record before the Bridgeview friendly. That makes the tactical match-up more useful than the history line. Iraq bring AFC play-off resilience, while Venezuela bring South American tempo and a higher ranking into a neutral venue.

The lack of past meetings also reduces narrative noise. Iraq need this game to prepare for France, Norway and Senegal in Group I. Venezuela need it to measure Vizcarrondo’s rebuild against a team that has already solved high-pressure qualification games.

Iraq vs Venezuela H2H Record

Iraq

0

Verified Wins

Total meetings0

Draws0

Last meetingyet to be confirmed

Biggest winyet to be confirmed

World Cup meetings0

Venezuela

0

Verified Wins

Recent senior meetingsNo clean verified senior Iraq vs Venezuela meeting is listed before this friendly.

Iraq vs Venezuela Recent Form

Iraq’s form has improved at the right time. Arnold’s side beat Bolivia 2-1 to clinch the final World Cup place, edged Andorra 1-0 in Girona, then drew 1-1 with Spain in La Coruna. Those results matter because Iraq have shown they can protect compact spaces and still produce decisive moments in transition.

Venezuela have been uneven but dangerous since the qualification miss. The March FIFA Series gave Vizcarrondo a 4-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago and a 0-0 draw with Uzbekistan, while late-2025 friendlies included a win over Australia and a loss to Canada. That pattern points to a team that can counter well but still needs more control against World Cup-level opponents.

Iraq vs Venezuela Tactical Preview

Iraq should work from a compact 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 defensive shell. Arnold’s best route is to keep the midfield narrow, force Venezuela wide, then release Ali Jasim, Youssef Amyn or Ibrahim Bayesh into space. Aymen Hussein gives Iraq a clear target when pressure needs to turn into territory.

Venezuela can also use a 4-2-3-1, but their attacking threat comes from wider combinations and second balls around Rondon or Kelsy. Soteldo and Savarino can isolate full-backs, while Yangel Herrera gives the midfield a runner who can arrive late. If Venezuela control the first pass after turnovers, Iraq may have to defend deeper than Arnold wants.

SeatGeek Stadium should create a strong diaspora atmosphere, so both teams get a useful matchday rehearsal. Iraq need tournament rhythm and injury control. Venezuela need a clear read on whether their younger forwards can press and recover against a team that has learned to play under pressure.

Iraq vs Venezuela Team News

Venezuela Team News

Venezuela arrive in the United States under Oswaldo Vizcarrondo, who was promoted into the senior role as part of a longer 2026-2034 rebuild. La Vinotinto missed World Cup qualification, so this window is about testing younger options around Salomon Rondon, Yangel Herrera, Yeferson Soteldo and Jefferson Savarino. Kevin Kelsy also gives Venezuela a useful North American reference point because he plays club football in MLS.

The March FIFA Series offered Vizcarrondo a mixed but useful read on his squad. Venezuela beat Trinidad and Tobago 4-1, then drew 0-0 with Uzbekistan before losing the shootout. The Iraq match should show whether that compact shape can travel again after Venezuela also scheduled Turkey earlier in the June window.

Iraq Team News

Graham Arnold has taken Iraq from a tense play-off route into Group I, and the squad now has a final friendly before the tournament begins. Jalal Hassan, Rebin Sulaka, Merchas Doski, Zidane Iqbal, Youssef Amyn, Ali Jasim and Aymen Hussein give Iraq a balanced mix of experience and European-based technical quality. The 1-1 draw against Spain also gave Arnold proof that Iraq can defend under pressure and still threaten through quick breaks.

Iraq’s selection should stay close to the World Cup group that beat Bolivia in the inter-confederation play-off. Arnold may still manage minutes because the opener against Norway follows six days later, yet he needs enough starters to sharpen set pieces and midfield distances. Aymen Hussein remains the focal point, while Iqbal and Ali Jasim can decide how often Iraq escape pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Read Also: Iraq vs Venezuela live stream and Iraq vs Venezuela live score.