FIFA faces growing criticism over its handling of Iraq’s situation ahead of the 2026 World Cup intercontinental playoff. With airspace closed and several embassies shut due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Iraqi national team struggles to organize its travel for the decisive match scheduled on March 31 in Monterrey against the winner of Bolivia and Suriname.
Iraq, which has only played one World Cup in 1986, sees this match as a historic opportunity to return to the global stage, but the current geopolitical crisis seriously threatens its participation.
The Iraqi Football Federation asked FIFA to postpone the playoff, arguing that the team cannot travel normally while part of its squad remains stuck in the country. Reports indicate that FIFA suggested an alternative involving a 25-hour road trip to Turkey before taking an international flight, a plan Iraqi officials quickly rejected as unsafe and unrealistic.
With visa issues also affecting several players due to closed embassies, coach Graham Arnold insists the team cannot compete under such conditions and calls for a decision that respects sporting fairness ahead of one of the most important matches in Iraq’s football history.