Monday 09 / March / 2026
Berlin: The Iraq national team asked football governing body FIFA for an alternative plan for their World Cup playoff scheduled to take place later this month (March 2026) amid the escalation of conflict in the Middle East.
Iraq are due to play the winner playoff between Suriname and Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, on 31 March as they aim to qualify for its first global tournament since 1986.
But Iraq's preparation has been plunged into chaos by the widening conflict in the Middle East.
The country's airspace is not due to reopen until 1 April 2026, with half of the squad in Baghdad unable to travel. Coach Graham Arnold, meanwhile, is stuck in Dubai.
According to The Guardian, Iran has formally asked FIFA to postpone the game after rejecting the federation's proposal that the squad should make a 25-hour road journey to Turkey before flying to Mexico to fulfil the fixture.
The newspaper also said that a number of Iraq's players and backroom staff have yet to receive visas for Mexico or the United States, where they had planned to hold a training camp in Houston.
The US, Mexico and Canada are co-hosting the tournament, which starts on 11 June 2026.
