Iraq Coach Calls for World Cup Play-off Delay Amid Middle East Conflict

Iraq’s national football coach Graham Arnold has called for the postponement of his team’s crucial World Cup qualifying play-off, citing major travel disruptions caused by the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

The Iraqi team is scheduled to face either Bolivia or Suriname in an intercontinental play-off match on 31 March in Monterrey, Mexico. The winner will secure a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada beginning on 11 June.

Travel Disruptions Affect Iraqi Team

According to Iraqi officials, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has severely affected the team’s ability to prepare and travel. Iraqi airspace has been closed since 28 February after US and Israeli strikes targeted sites in Iran, prompting Tehran to respond with missile and drone attacks across the region.

The airspace closure has prevented many players and staff based in Iraq from leaving the country. Coach Graham Arnold said assembling the full squad has become extremely difficult under current conditions.

“Please help us with this game because right now we are struggling to get our players out of the country of Iraq,” Arnold told the Australian Associated Press.

Arnold, who took charge of the Iraqi national team in May 2025 after previously managing Australia’s national side, said the team risks being forced to compete without many of its key players.

“It wouldn’t be our best team, and we need our best team available for the country’s biggest game in 40 years,” he said.

Visa and Embassy Issues

In addition to flight restrictions, the team is facing difficulties securing travel documents. Several foreign embassies in the region have suspended operations because of security concerns linked to the conflict.

As a result, many Iraqi players have been unable to obtain visas required to enter Mexico for the play-off match.

Arnold himself is currently unable to return to Iraq and is reportedly stranded in the United Arab Emirates due to the disruption to regional air travel.

The logistical challenges have already forced the cancellation of a planned training camp in Houston, Texas, where the Iraqi squad had intended to prepare ahead of the decisive match.

Proposal to FIFA

Arnold has appealed to FIFA, football’s global governing body, to adjust the qualification schedule to allow Iraq to compete under fair conditions.

One proposal suggested by the coach is to allow Bolivia and Suriname to play their preliminary match as planned this month. The final intercontinental play-off involving Iraq could then be postponed until shortly before the World Cup tournament begins.

Such a delay, Arnold argues, would give Iraqi players time to travel safely and allow the national team to field its strongest possible squad.

“The Iraqi people are extremely passionate about football,” Arnold said. “The fact that they have not qualified for the World Cup for 40 years is probably the main reason I took this job.”

Long Wait for World Cup Return

Iraq last appeared at the FIFA World Cup in 1986, when the tournament was hosted by Mexico. Since then, the national team has repeatedly fallen short in qualifying campaigns despite strong support for football across the country.

For many Iraqi fans, the upcoming play-off represents the country’s most significant opportunity in decades to return to football’s biggest global competition.

The intercontinental play-offs are designed to determine the final qualification places for the World Cup. Teams from different continental confederations compete for the remaining spots in the tournament.

If Iraq wins its play-off match in Monterrey, the team would secure one of the final places at the expanded 2026 tournament, which will feature 48 teams for the first time.

Wider Impact of Regional Conflict

The ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has had effects beyond the political and military sphere, increasingly disrupting international travel, trade and sporting events across the region.

Several airlines have suspended flights through Middle Eastern airspace due to safety concerns, while sports teams from affected countries are facing difficulties travelling for international competitions.

For Iraq’s national football team, the timing of the crisis comes just weeks before one of the most important matches in its recent history.

Whether FIFA will agree to delay the play-off remains unclear, but Iraqi officials say they hope the governing body will consider the extraordinary circumstances created by the regional conflict.