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The Iraq national football team has officially announced its 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Head coach Graham Arnold revealed his final selection on Monday (1 June 2026) ahead of the tournament, which will be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Among the names listed, one stood out to Indonesian football fans — Frans Putros.

The 32-year-old defender earned a spot in Iraq’s squad after his impressive performances for Persib Bandung during the 2025/2026 season.

Putros played a key role in helping Maung Bandung secure the Super League title last season.

His inclusion in Iraq’s World Cup squad means that he will indirectly represent the Indonesian League on the world’s biggest football stage.

Beyond that, Putros’s call-up could mark a historic milestone for Indonesian football.

He could become the first active Liga Indonesia player to appear in a World Cup final round while still contracted to a domestic club.

In the past, several players who once competed in Indonesia had World Cup experience, such as Mario Kempes, Roger Milla, Pierre Njanka, Michael Essien, Didier Zokora, and Ivan Bosnjak.

However, those players had already retired from their national teams by the time they played in Indonesia.

Another player who came close to this achievement was Shane Smeltz. During his stint with Borneo FC in the 2017/2018 season, he received a call-up from the New Zealand national team for the 2017 Confederations Cup.

Meanwhile, Gervane Kastaneer was also named in Curacao’s 2026 World Cup squad, but by the time of his selection, he was no longer playing in Indonesia after leaving Persis Solo.

Therefore, Frans Putros now stands on the brink of making history as the first active Liga Indonesia player to feature in a World Cup finals tournament.

Persib Set to Gain Financial Reward from FIFA

Frans Putros’s participation in the 2026 World Cup could also bring financial benefits to Persib Bandung.

FIFA will once again implement its Club Benefit Programme, which provides financial compensation to clubs whose players participate in the World Cup.

This program compensates clubs for allowing their players to represent their national teams during the tournament.

Interestingly, starting from the 2026 edition, the program’s scope has been expanded to include players involved from the qualification stages.

FIFA has allocated a total budget of 355 million US dollars, or approximately 6 trillion Indonesian rupiah, to be distributed among eligible clubs worldwide.

With Frans Putros officially representing Iraq while playing for Persib, Maung Bandung stands a chance to receive a share of this compensation fund.

Iraq Faces a Tough Challenge in Group I

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Iraq has been drawn into Group I alongside France, Senegal, and Norway.

This group is considered one of the most competitive, featuring strong teams from different football confederations.

France are seen as the clear favourites, boasting a star-studded lineup including Kylian Mbappe and N'Golo Kante.

Many observers believe Les Bleus have the depth and quality to go far in the tournament.

Among those sharing this view is Madura United defender Novan Setya Sasongko.

“I’m backing France because they have a well-balanced squad,” said Novan, as quoted by SURYAMALANG.COM.

It will be interesting to see how far Frans Putros and Iraq can progress in the 2026 World Cup.

Amid the fierce competition in Group I, the Persib Bandung defender has the chance to make history and carry the name of the Indonesian League onto football’s grandest stage.

Iraq National Team Squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Goalkeepers

Fahad Talib (Al Talaba), Jalal Hassan (Al-Zawraa), Ahmed Basil (Al-Shorta)

Defenders

Hussein Ali (Pogon Szczecin), Manaf Younis (Al-Shorta), Zaid Tahseen (Pakhtakor), Rebin Sulaka (Port), Akam Hashem (Al-Zawraa), Merchas Doski (Viktoria Plzen), Ahmed Yahya (Al-Shorta), Zaid Ismail (Al-Talaba), Frans Putros (Persib Bandung), Mustafa Saadoon (Al-Shorta)

Midfielders

Amir Al-Ammari (Cracovia), Kevin Yakob (AGF), Zidane Iqbal (Utrecht), Aimar Sher (Sarpsborg), Ibrahim Bayesh (Al-Dhafra), Ahmed Qasem (Nashville SC), Youssef Amyn (AEK Larnaca), Marko Farji (Venezia)

Forwards

Ali Jasim (Como), Ali Al-Hamadi (Ipswich Town), Ali Youssef (Apollon Limassol), Aymen Hussein (Al-Karma), Mohanad Ali (Dibba)

(Report by Hafidh Rizky Pratama and Khairul Amin)