Iraq is set to play a World Cup qualifying game on March 31, as part of the Inter-Confederation play-offs, to decide one of the six places remaining for World Cup 2026 in the summer (four of them are reserved for European teams). However, its coach, the Australian Graham Arnold, has asked for the match to be postponed because most of their players cannot leave the country due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Iraq, who defeated United Arab Emirates last November to qualify for the World Cup play-offs, has a bye in the inter-continental play-off, a match to be played in Guadalupe, Mexico, on March 31, in which they will face the winner of the Bolivia vs. Suriname match on March 26.
The closure of the airspace and uncertainty about how long the war will last means that Arnold may need to choose a team only with players outside of Iraq. Arnold's proposal is to delay the game from March 31 to the week before World Cup in June. "Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the US. The winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home."
Iraq was reportedly offered a 25-hour road journey from Baghdad to Turkey, where the players could safely fly to Mexico, but the manager has asked FIFA for a delay. Another problem may be that some players and staff members have not been given visas to enter in Mexico or the US, where they would play if they end up qualifying, according to The Guardian.
It's a hugely important match for Iraq, as it would be their first World Cup in 40 years. "The Iraqi people are so passionate about the game that it is insane. The fact that they haven't qualified for 40 years is probably the main reason I took this job", Arnold said, appointed in June 2025. "It wouldn't be our best team and we need our best team for the country's biggest game in 40 years".