Dopo la formale richiesta dell'Iraq riportata all'inizio di questa settimana, il ct della nazionale Graham Arnold ha dettagliato il suo urgente appello alla FIFA per posticipare lo spareggio interconfederale per i Mondiali del 31 marzo a Monterrey, in Messico, citando chiusure dello spazio aereo in corso, blocchi dei visti e un ritiro di allenamento annullato che impediscono di radunare una squadra completa contro la vincitrice di Bolivia-Suriname.
In un aggiornamento alla crescente pressione dell'Iraq per un play-off dei Mondiali 2026 riprogrammato — primo dettagliato in mezzo ai raid USA e israeliani sull'Iran — il ct Graham Arnold, attualmente bloccato negli Emirati Arabi Uniti, ha delineato a FIFA gravi ostacoli logistici. Iraqi airspace remains shut until April 1, trapping most domestic players in the country. Embassy closures have halted Mexico visa processing, and a planned Houston training camp is canceled. Arnold, formerly of Australia, stresses that using only overseas players would weaken the lineup for «the country’s biggest game in 40 years.» «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. He proposes letting Bolivia and Suriname play on March 26, then delaying Iraq's match to a week before the June 11-July 19 World Cup finals in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. This would also allow assessment of Iran's qualified status amid the war; if Iran withdraws, Iraq could replace them per AFC rankings, with the UAE stepping into Iraq's play-off spot. Iraqi Football Association president Adnan Dirjal is working intensively on solutions. Iraq last reached the World Cup in 1986 in Mexico, losing all group games. Arnold highlighted the nation's soccer passion as his coaching motivation. FIFA has been contacted but not responded. Meanwhile, the other play-off involving New Caledonia, Jamaica, and DR Congo continues in nearby Zapopan and Guadalajara.
