Based on an analysis of 470 Facebook posts by Miqrab AI, the primary online conversations in Iraq on March 20, 2025, were dominated by religious observances and national sports. The most engaging topic was the commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, with numerous pages sharing sermons, condolences, and reflections on his life. A close second was the intense reaction to the Iraqi national football team’s dramatic 2-2 comeback draw against Kuwait in the World Cup qualifiers, which sparked discussions ranging from national pride to harsh criticism of the team’s coach, Jesús Casas. Other significant trends included updates on government infrastructure projects led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, commentary on regional events like the protests in Turkey, and celebrations for the Newroz holiday.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Commemoration of the Martyrdom of Imam Ali

Religious devotion was the most prominent theme on Facebook, with numerous pages commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib. The highest engagement came from a video lecture by Dr. Mudhaffar Qasim Hussein (Post Impact: 100%) discussing the divine will behind the Imam’s martyrdom and his famous words, “I have won, by the Lord of the Kaaba.” Other political and public figures, such as Hakem al-Zamili (Post Impact: 21%), shared messages of mourning, with posts stating, “By God, the pillars of guidance have been demolished.” Pages like Aziz Nasser (Post Impact: 14%) reflected on the significance of his death during prayer. The Iraqi Engineers Syndicate – General Center (Post Impact: 11%) also issued a formal statement of condolence to the Islamic world and the Iraqi people.

2. Iraq’s Dramatic 2-2 Comeback Draw Against Kuwait

The Iraqi national football team’s performance in the World Cup qualifiers generated widespread discussion after they secured a 2-2 draw against Kuwait, coming back from a two-goal deficit in the final minutes. Pages like Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 19%) and Baghdad (Post Impact: 3%) reported on the result, highlighting the team’s fighting spirit. The equalizing goal by Ibrahim Bayesh in the final moments was particularly celebrated, as noted by Breaking News (Post Impact: 4%). High-profile figures like Lieutenant General Nasser al-Ghanam (Post Impact: 17%) congratulated the “Lions of Mesopotamia” for their efforts. The comeback was described as a “historic draw” by the Iraqi News Center (Post Impact: 17%).

3. Widespread Criticism of National Team Coach Jesús Casas

Despite the celebrated comeback, there was significant criticism directed at the national team’s coach, Jesús Casas, regarding his player selection and tactics. The comments of former Iraqi star Nashat Akram were widely circulated by pages like Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 13%) and Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 5%). Akram accused Casas of being led by others, stating, “There are those who lead you, not you who lead the team,” and questioned his fairness in player selection, particularly benching Ibrahim Bayesh and Rebin Sulaka. Other pages like Haider al-Hamdani (Post Impact: 19%) directly asked followers whether the fault lies with the players or the coach, while Set Ashwaq Om Al-Qanouniya (Post Impact: 16%) called Sulaka a “disaster” and questioned why Akam Hashim, described as the best defender in the league, was left on the bench.

4. Kuwaiti Player Accused of Provocative On-Field Gesture

A moment of controversy during the Iraq vs. Kuwait football match gained significant attention when a Kuwaiti player was accused of making an offensive gesture towards the crowd. The page Breaking News (Post Impact: 15%) shared images of the incident, describing the action as a “terrorist gesture” and reminding the player that Iraqis are the ones who fought and expelled terrorism from their land. The page From Baghdad+ (Post Impact: 3%) also highlighted the moment, pointing out the provocative nature of the act as the player was leaving the field. Iraq (Post Impact: 2%) shared a video of the player’s action, noting that he was “provoking the Iraqi audience.”

5. PM Sudani Oversees Development and Energy Projects

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s official page shared updates on major national projects. One post from Engineer Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani (Post Impact: 12%) detailed a meeting of the committee for the Development Road project, where they discussed progress, the establishment of a dedicated company, and the integration with the Grand Faw Port project. In another development, the Prime Minister launched a waste-to-energy power plant in Nahrawan, as reported by his page (Post Impact: 4%) and celebrated by The Government Palace (Post Impact: 4%), which praised the project as a successful initiative that will soon expand to other provinces.

6. Iraqi Pages Monitor Protests in Turkey

Events in neighboring Turkey captured the attention of Iraqi social media users, with several pages sharing news and commentary on ongoing protests. Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 3%) reported that the protests were continuing and that some social media sites were being slowed or blocked. Salem Mashkour (Post Impact: 4%) commented on the regional implications with the statement, “Demonstrations in Turkey and anxiety in Syria.” Meanwhile, the page Ya’ni Tafaddal (Post Impact: 5%) questioned the lack of coverage in Iraqi media, suggesting that those who control the media in Iraq are aligned with Turkish President Erdoğan.

7. Newroz and Spring Equinox Celebrated and Observed

The arrival of spring was marked by greetings for the Newroz holiday and scientific observations of the vernal equinox. The U.S. Consulate General Erbil (Post Impact: 10%) and The International Coalition (Post Impact: 4%) both extended their best wishes for a year of peace and prosperity. On a scientific note, Iraq Telescope (Post Impact: 3%) announced the official start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, explaining that day and night are nearly equal in length. The cultural page Babylon Gate of the Gods (Post Impact: 4%) connected the event to ancient Mesopotamian traditions, noting that ancient Iraqis knew of the spring equinox and that Nisanu was the first month of their new year.

8. Religious Figure Blames Football Draw on Disrespect for Imam Ali

A unique narrative emerged linking the Iraqi national team’s draw against Kuwait to the religious occasion of Imam Ali’s martyrdom. Cleric Abu Habib Al-Safi was quoted by multiple pages suggesting the timing of the match was inappropriate. The page World Jokes Through Iraqi Eyes (Post Impact: 5%) posted his statement: “Give the win to Kuwait, and we will win with the love of Imam Ali. The people of Basra should hold a Husseini council in the Basra stadium in support of Imam Ali.” Similarly, the page Iraq (Post Impact: 5%) shared a video of him stating that if the game had been postponed, the team would have won.

9. Politicians Attend Mourning Councils for Imam Ali

Iraqi political figures were seen participating in public religious observances for the martyrdom of Imam Ali. The official page of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Haider Al-Abadi (Post Impact: 3%), and his media office, Media Office of Dr. Haider al-Abadi (Post Impact: 7%), both published posts showing his attendance at a mourning council (majlis) hosted by Ammar al-Hakim, the leader of the National Wisdom Movement. These posts highlight the intersection of political activity and religious tradition among Iraq’s leadership during significant Shiite commemorations.

10. Fact-Checking Misinformation Around Turkish Protests

Amid the circulation of news about protests in Turkey, the fact-checking page Tech 4 Peace worked to debunk false information. In one post, the page clarified that a widely shared video was old and had no connection to the current protests in Turkey, showing it was from several days prior (Post Impact: 4%). In a separate post, it corrected another video, confirming it was filmed in Serbia, not Turkey (Post Impact: 2%). This demonstrates a counter-narrative on Iraqi social media focused on verifying information and combating the spread of misleading content related to regional events.