Iraq Coach Urges FIFA to Delay World Cup Play-off

Graham Arnold, the head coach of the Iraq national football team, has called on FIFA to postpone Iraq's crucial intercontinental play-off match, which is set to take place on March 31, 2023. This request arises from concerns over travel disruptions caused by the ongoing US-Israeli conflict affecting Iran and Iraq.

Arnold highlighted that the conflict has severely impacted Iraqi airspace, which remains closed as of February 28, following US-Israeli strikes on Iran that triggered missile and drone retaliations across the Middle East. He expressed fears that these circumstances would hinder Iraq's ability to assemble a full squad for what he described as the country's biggest football match in a decade.

Iraq reached the intercontinental play-off by edging out the United Arab Emirates 3-2 on aggregate in the fifth round of Asia's World Cup qualifiers last November. The winner of the play-off will secure a place in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada starting June 11.