Iraq national team coach Graham Arnold has asked FIFA to postpone the country’s intercontinental playoff match for the 2026 World Cup after travel restrictions prevented players and staff from leaving Iraq.
Iraq are scheduled to face the winner of a playoff between Suriname and Bolivia on 31 March in Monterrey. The match would determine qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
However, Iraqi airspace has been closed until 1 April due to the ongoing regional conflict. The closure has prevented the national team from assembling in Baghdad or travelling to Mexico.
Arnold said the situation has created major logistical problems for the squad and support staff.
“If the game goes ahead in Mexico we have the difficulties of getting out of Baghdad,” Arnold told CNN.
According to Arnold, around 60 per cent of the players selected for the squad currently play in Iraq, while the majority of the coaching staff are based in the country. Medical staff working with the team are located in Qatar. The team has also faced delays in obtaining visas for travel to Mexico.
The travel restrictions have already forced the cancellation of a planned training camp in the United States.
“That has all been scrapped now, because we cannot get out of Baghdad,” Arnold said.
He added that the national federation has been in contact with FIFA regarding the situation and is seeking a decision on whether the match should be postponed.
Arnold proposed an alternative arrangement in which Suriname and Bolivia would still play their qualifying playoff match in Monterrey on 26 March. The winner of that game could then face Iraq at a later date in the United States before the start of the World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on 11 June and will be hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
An Iraqi football federation source confirmed that a request had been submitted to FIFA asking for the playoff to be rescheduled.
According to the source, the request was made because the team delegation cannot leave Baghdad due to the closure of airspace and security concerns in the region.
Arnold said the situation has created uncertainty for the team as preparations for the playoff continue.
“It is one step at a time. It is stressful and there have been a lot of sleepless nights worrying about getting that planning right,” he said.
FIFA has not yet announced whether the playoff schedule will be changed.
