Four Christians Shape Iraq’s Norway World Cup Roster
Iraq’s norway world cup roster carries a striking number: four Christians among 26 players, or 15% of the squad. That stands out in a country where Christians make up less than 1% of the population, and it gives this World Cup group a roster profile few national teams can match.
Marsen Banni, a Chaldean Catholic living in the U.S., said the roster fills him with "hope, pride, and excitement, and sends a powerful message that Iraqi Christians remain an integral part of Iraq'". His reaction tracks the numbers on the page, not just the symbolism around them.
Four names on Iraq’s roster
Aimar Sher, Rebin Sulaka, Kevin Yakob and Frans Putros are the four Christian players on Iraq’s 26-man squad. Sher was born in Iraq and moved to Sweden when he was four. Sulaka was born in Ankawa in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, and moved to Sweden when he was 10.
Yakob was born in Sweden and began playing for Assyriska BK in Gothenburg. Putros was born in Denmark to Iraqi Christian immigrant parents. Together, they account for a large share of a squad drawn from several countries and paths into the national team.
Graham Arnold’s call-up
Graham Arnold did not call up Peter Gwargis, and some outlets have listed Marko Farji as a Christian even though he is a Muslim Kurd. That leaves the roster count at four Christians, not more, and it keeps the focus on the players actually named for Iraq’s World Cup campaign.
The contrast with Iraq’s population is sharp enough on its own, but the football history runs deeper. Ammo Baba scored Iraq’s first goal in 1957 and later managed the national team, and a new 31,000-seat stadium named after him is under construction in Baghdad.
Jordan’s only nearby comparison
Jordan is the only other Arab 2026 World Cup team mentioned as comparable on this point, and it has two Christians in its squad. Ihsan Haddad is Jordan’s captain, while Odeh Al-Fakhouri is a young forward on the roster.
For Iraq, the immediate story is simple: four Christian players are part of the 26-man World Cup group, and that mix puts the team in rare territory for the region. For Banni and others watching from abroad, the squad is more than a list of names; it is a visible place for Iraqi Christians on one of the country’s biggest stages.
