Spain Held to 1-1 Draw by Iraq in Pre-World Cup Friendly

Spain were held to a 1-1 draw by Iraq in a low-key pre-2026 World Cup friendly on Thursday at Estadio de Riazor.

Ferran Torres opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a clinical finish from a Dani Olmo counter-attack. Iraq equalized in the 27th minute through a superb curled strike by Merchas Doski.

Luis de la Fuente rested several key players including Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Rodri, and Pedri, handing starts to younger talents and Gavi on his return from injury. Spain dominated possession but struggled to break down Iraq’s organized defense. Torres hit the crossbar late in the first half, but no further goals came.

A crowd of 30,423 watched Spain’s final home match before the tournament. The result extends their strong recent form while highlighting areas needing improvement in sharpness.

Spain, drawn in Group H with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay, open their World Cup campaign on June 15. They face Peru in their final warm-up on June 8 in Mexico.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​