New Delhi: Iraq’s hopes of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 2026 have been dealt a huge blow as their travel plans are being affected due to the ongoing war between Iran, Israel and the US. Iraq are scheduled to take part in the World Cup qualifiers in Mexico this month, however, their participation in the tournament is in doubt.
The Iraqi football team is unable to travel to Mexico due to airspace closure in the Middle East amid missile attacks from Iran, targeting several Gulf nations, including the UAE, which is a major transit hub for flights from across the globe. The Iraqi football federation has also been unable to secure visas for its players and support staff for its tour of Mexico.
Meanwhile, Iraq football team’s head coach, Graham Arnold, is stranded in the UAE. Arnold is unable to travel to Iraq to be with the national team before they leave for Mexico. The difficulty in obtaining visas is due to embassies being closed amid the ongoing tensions in the region.
“Because of airspace closures, our head coach, Graham Arnold, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates,” the Iraqi soccer federation said in a statement on Wednesday.
“In addition, several embassies remain closed at the present time, preventing several professional players, technical and medical staff members from obtaining entry visas to Mexico,” it added.
Mexico’s foreign ministry also released a statement, explaining that the visa complications arose due to the country not having an embassy in Iraq. However, the ministry said that it has instructed the Mexican embassy in the UAE to get in touch with the Iraqi football federation.
The ministry urged the Iraqi football federation to send the names of the players and personnel who will be travelling to Mexico for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, assuring them that the visa process will be expedited. Iraq are scheduled to lock horns with Bolivia or Suriname in Mexico on March 31 for a spot in one of the last two qualification places in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Iraq in line for qualification if Iran pull out of FIFA World Cup 2026
FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are both aware of the issues being faced by the Iraq national team as far as their participation in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers is concerned. If Iraq miss the flight to Mexico, there is still hope for them as they might replace Iran in the showpiece event if Iran pull out.
Iran are reportedly considering pulling out of the tournament amid the ongoing war with the US and Israel. They are currently in Group G in the tournament alongside Belgium, New Zealand and Egypt. If Iran refuse to take part in the FIFA World Cup 2026, they might get replaced by Iraq or the UAE, who are the next highest-ranked teams in Asia.
However, the final decision regarding which team will replace Iran will rest in the hands of FIFA. Iraq’s best chance of qualifying for the tournament is by winning their FIFA World Cup qualifier match later this month.