Iraq’s World Cup hopes in peril as war strands coach, blocks visas

Iraq’s World Cup Playoff Hopes in Peril as Iran Conflict Grounds Coach and Blocks Visas

Iraq’s bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup is facing a deepening crisis as the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran disrupts travel across the Middle East, leaving head coach Graham Arnold stranded in the United Arab Emirates and preventing players from obtaining visas to Mexico for next month’s playoff match.

A Team Scattered Across the Globe

The Iraqi Football Association said in a statement posted to Instagram on Wednesday that airspace closures have left Arnold, the Australian coach, unable to depart the UAE, where he had been scouting players in the local league. The federation added that “several embassies remain closed at the present time, preventing several professional players, technical and medical staff members from obtaining entry visas to Mexico.”ajc

Iraq is scheduled to face the winner of the Bolivia-Suriname semifinal in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31 for one of the last two World Cup qualification places. According to The Guardian, the IFA has been informed by Iraqi Airways and the Ministry of Transportation that the country’s airspace will remain closed for at least four weeks, a timeline that would prevent roughly 40 percent of the squad from traveling. A planned pre-tournament training camp in Houston has already been scrapped because several players lack U.S. visas, and with Mexico having no embassy in Baghdad and alternative consular options in Qatar and the UAE currently unavailable, obtaining Mexican visas has become equally difficult.theguardian

Contingency Plans and FIFA Talks

A source close to the Iraqi team told The Guardian: “We’re currently scattered across the globe, attempting to prepare as best we can. We must plan as though the game will happen, although that seems improbable at this moment.” The federation said it is in “constant communication with FIFA regarding the arrangements for our national team’s participation” and that the Asian Football Confederation is “fully aware of every development.”espn

FIFA has reportedly told the IFA the playoff will proceed as scheduled, but concerns have mounted as the scale of the logistical obstacles has become clearer. The only alternative to flying for Baghdad-based personnel is a roughly 25-hour overland journey through northern Iraq to Turkey, a route that may itself be unsafe.theguardian

A Second Path to the World Cup

Should Iraq fail to qualify through the playoff, another route could open. Iran’s top soccer official, Mehdi Taj, said this week that his country “cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope,” casting doubt on whether Iran will participate in a tournament hosted partly on American soil. If Iran withdraws, Iraq — as the next highest-ranked Asian team in qualifying — would be a leading candidate to replace them. Iraq has appeared at only one World Cup, the 1986 tournament in Mexico.africasoccer