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The FIFA Play-Off Tournament in stats

Graham Arnold, Aymen Hussein, Moises Paniagua, Axel Tuanzebe and Liam van Gelderen feature as we review the Play-Off Tournament in numbers.

The FIFA Play-Off Tournament brought World Cup 2026 qualifying to a close
Congo DR and Iraq sealed long-awaited World Cup returns with final wins
Graham Arnold and Moises Paniagua made history

937

Iraq's victory over Bolivia in the Path B final brought an end to qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ some 937 days after it began. Colombia's 1-0 victory over Venezuela started the road to the finals, with Rafael Borre netting the only goal on 7 September 2023.

52

Congo DR defeated Jamaica in the Path A final to reach their first World Cup since West Germany 1974, when they were known as Zaire, 52 years ago. No nation has broken a longer streak to reach these finals, with Haiti also returning for the first time since 1974. Iraq, for their part, will compete after 40 years away.

Players of Congo DR celebrate after qualifying to the 2026 World Cup on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez - FIFA via Getty Images)

21

Iraq played a total of 21 matches in qualifying. They topped Group F of AFC's second round with six straight wins, before coming third after ten matches in the next round. They were runners-up of Group B in the two-match fourth round, before playing home-and-away to United Arab Emirates in the final round to reach the Play-Off Tournament.

Iraq players and staff celebrate having defeated Bolivia in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament

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At 18, Bolivia's Moises Paniagua was the youngest goalscorer in the Play-Off Tournament. The midfielder toe-poked home the equaliser against Suriname in the Path B semi-finals, and also netted in the final defeat to Iraq.

Bolivia v Suriname - FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament

GUADALUPE, MEXICO - MARCH 26: Moises Paniagua of Bolivia celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifying Playoff tournament match between Bolivia and Suriname at Estadio Monterrey on March 26, 2026 in Guadalupe, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

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Congo DR's victory means ten African nations will compete at the finals, alongside Algeria, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia. CAF will be the first confederation outside of UEFA to have double digits worth of representatives at a World Cup.

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Aymen Hussein netted his ninth goal of the qualifying campaign to seal Iraq's victory over Bolivia. Only Erling Haaland (16), Almoez Ali (12), Mohamed Amoura, Son Heungmin and Mehdi Taremi (10) scored more than him across the preliminaries.

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Iraq's victory over Bolivia marked just the second time an Asian nation had progressed from an inter-confederation play-off at the expense of a South American foe. The only previous occasion came ahead of Qatar 2022, when Australia sunk Peru on penalties in Al Rayyan.

Iraq players celebrate a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification win against United Arab Emirates

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Suriname's Liam van Gelderen, Bolivia's Paniagua and Congo DR's Axel Tuanzebe all netted their first international goals during the tournament.

DR CONGO VS JAMAICA - FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball 2026 PLAY-OFF TOURNAMENT - MARCH 31, 2026 ZAPOPAN, JALISCO, MEXICO. March 31st: Axel Tuanzebe 4 of Congo DR celebrates qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026during the FIFA World Cup 2026 play-off tournament match between DR Congo and Jamaica, held at Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. PHOTO BY SANDRA BAUTISTA/IMAGO IMAGES/STRAFFON IMAGES/MANDATORY CREDIT/EDITORIAL USE/ Copyright: xSANDRAxBAUTISTAx

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Graham Arnold is set to become the first Australian to lead a second nation out at the World Cup, after taking the Socceroos to Qatar 2022.

Graham Arnold celebrates Iraq's win in the FIFA Play-Off Tournament