The game is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 1, with kick-off at 15:00 AEDT. Who wins this one-game shootout, and where's the value in the World Cup betting odds being offered?

Quick Picks

Our pick: Iraq to win

Value bet: Draw/Iraq in half-time/full-time market

Long shot: Iraq to win 1-0

Betting Preview

Bolivia are a nation that many wouldn't have expected to have a chance of qualifying 12 months ago, however Óscar Villegas's group of young players have been able to perform extremely well. This was the case once again, when they defeated Suriname 2-1 in the Play-Off semi-final match.

Two goals between 70-79 minutes were enough to turn the tie around in the South Americans' favour, with Moises Paniagua and a Miguel Terceros penalty enough to overturn the early second-half goal scored by Suriname.

It added to the 17 goals they had scored during the group phase of qualification, although the game showed that they were vulnerable to conceding, as they have throughout the entire process (36 in total).

However, a tough game against Iraq now awaits them. They went unbeaten in Group F during the Second Round, winning all six games. They would then finish third in Group B in the Third Round, winning four of their 10 games (3D, 3L), finishing behind South Korea and Jordan. The Fourth Round saw them finish second in Group B, with a win and a draw enough to give them a chance of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.

Iraq scored 17 and conceded just twice in the Second Round, with Aymen Hussein scoring four. In the Third Round, scored nine and conceded nine, with Hussein netting another four. In the Fourth Round, they scored just once in their two games, but didn't concede. Zidane Iqbal netted that one.

Betting Markets to Watch

There has been one game between these two nations in the past, an international friendly in November 2018 that ended 0-0.

With a lot more on the line in this one, we'd think the value lies in the 'Under 2.5 Goals' market. We think it's likely that the game will adopt a rather cagey approach in the first half, with neither team willing to go for it until the later moments in the second half.

As a result, we think the 'Half-Time/Full-Time' result would offer value for the 'Draw/Iraq' outcome. Iraq are stronger than Bolivia in terms of player quality, and with Hussein being in good form for his country, he offers value as an anytime goalscorer. If you're looking to combine multiple legs for higher odds, consider building a bet with multiple selections around these markets.

Our Prediction

Check the latest Iraq vs Bolivia betting odds at Sportsbet.

We think it's most likely that Iraq win and qualify for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. They have better players and are historically comfortable in tight aggregate or playoff situations.