Baghdad, Iraq — Iraq’s national football team has asked world football’s governing body to delay its upcoming decisive qualification match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup because escalating military tensions in the Middle East have disrupted travel across the region.
The request comes from Graham Arnold, the head coach of Iraq’s national football team. Arnold is an Australian football manager who took charge of the Iraqi team in May 2025. He said the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has led to major transport disruptions that could prevent several Iraqi players and officials from travelling to the match venue.
Iraq is scheduled to play either Bolivia or Suriname in a crucial inter-continental play-off match in Monterrey, a major city in northern Mexico, on Monday, March 31, 2026. The winner of the match will secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with the tournament set to begin on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
However, the worsening regional security situation has complicated preparations for the Iraqi team. Iraqi airspace has been closed since Friday, February 28, 2026, after military strikes involving the United States and Israel targeted sites in Iran. Iran later responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at Israel and locations across the Gulf region.
The shutdown of airports and airspace across parts of the Middle East has made it difficult for Iraqi players based in the country to travel abroad to join the national team squad.
Arnold warned that if the team cannot gather its full squad, Iraq’s chances of reaching the World Cup could be seriously affected.
“It wouldn’t be our best team and we need our best team for the country’s biggest game in 40 years,” the Australian said.
Okay News reports that Iraq is just one victory away from returning to the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986, when the country last participated in the tournament.
The Iraqi team secured its place in the inter-continental play-off after defeating the United Arab Emirates national team 3-2 on aggregate in the fifth round of the Asian qualifying competition in November.
Before the decisive match against Iraq, Bolivia will face Suriname in a preliminary inter-continental play-off match on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The winner of that match will advance to face Iraq for a place among the 48 teams that will compete in the expanded 2026 World Cup.
Arnold emphasised that football holds deep emotional meaning for people in Iraq and that qualifying for the World Cup would be a major national moment.
“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.
“But at this stage with the airport being shut down we are working hard to try and find another alternative.”
The coach suggested that a short delay to the match could allow Iraq to properly assemble and prepare its strongest squad once travel conditions improve.
“If Fifa was to delay the game it gives us time to prepare properly,” Arnold said.
“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.
“Our federation’s president Adnan Dirjal is working round the clock trying to plan and prepare to make everyone in Iraq’s dream come true so we need this decision made quickly.”
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the global governing body of football headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, has not yet announced whether it will consider postponing the match.
