Following his successful qualification for the 2026 World Cup with the Iraqi national team, Kurdish star Akam Hashim was honored at the General Directorate of Sports.
Upon his return from Mexico, Akam Hashim, a defender for the Iraqi national team, was presented with an honorary award by Sardar Ismail, the Director General of Sports in Kurdistan. The ceremony celebrated Hashim’s standout performance in the crucial playoff match against Bolivia, which secured Iraq’s spot in the 2026 World Cup for the first time in 40 years.
During a press conference, the Director General praised Hashim’s vital contribution to the national squad. He also commended other Kurdish players on the team, announcing that a formal ceremony would be organized in the future to honor all of them.
Sardar Ismail specifically highlighted Hashim’s gesture of raising the Kurdistan flag on the pitch, noting that it brought great joy to the community.
Addressing the media, Akam Hashim expressed his gratitude for the reception. “I am delighted by this honor and will put forth every effort to perform at my best during the World Cup,” he stated. Hashim added that raising the Kurdistan flag while wearing the Iraqi national jersey at the Monterrey stadium in Mexico was the happiest moment of his life.
