Meet Ahmed Qasem.
The Nashville SC winger is ready to represent Iraq, his mother's home nation, at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer.
- Age: 22
- Hometown: Motala, Sweden
MLS background
Qasem joined Nashville SC ahead of the 2025 season from Swedish top-flight side IF Elfsborg, arriving on a U22 Initiative deal.
He quickly became an important piece of Nashville's dynamic attack and helped them win their first-ever trophy, the 2025 US Open Cup.
This past spring, Qasem also played a key role as Nashville advanced to the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals.
Awards & stats
- 3g/2a in 42 MLS appearances
- 2025 US Open Cup champion
International experience
- Caps: 1
- Goals: 0
Qasem is a former Swedish youth international who featured up to the U-21 level.
But ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Qasem formally made the FIFA-authorized switch to represent the Lions of Mesopotamia.
He made his international debut on May 29, starting and playing 65 minutes in a 1-0 win over Andorra.
World Cup schedule
Iraq are in Group I alongside France, Senegal and Norway.
- June 16:Â Iraq vs. Norway, 6 pm ET | Boston, Massachusetts
- June 22:Â Iraq vs. France, 5 pm ET | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- June 26:Â Iraq vs. Senegal, 3 pm ET | Toronto, Ontario
The 2026 World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19, has expanded from the usual 32 nations to 48 total.
The top two teams advance from each group, and the top eight third-place finishers also make the knockout phase (Round of 32).
World Cup history
This will be Iraq's second-ever World Cup and first appearance since the 1986 tournament.
How Iraq qualified
After narrowly missing out on direct qualification, Iraq advanced to the fifth round of Asia's pathway and defeated the United Arab Emirates.
That booked their spot in the inter-confederation playoffs, where they beat Bolivia 2-1 and secured their World Cup ticket.
