Iraq has officially requested that FIFA postpone its 2026 World Cup intercontinental playoff final as regional conflict continues to disrupt travel and team preparations.
According to reports from The Guardian, the Iraqi Football Association (IFA) filed the formal request after rejecting a proposal from football’s governing body that would have required players to undertake a 25-hour road journey from Baghdad to Turkey before flying to Mexico.
The playoff, currently scheduled for March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico, faces significant logistical hurdles as the Iraqi Transport Ministry has confirmed that national airspace will remain closed for at least four weeks.
This closure has left approximately half of the Iraqi squad stranded in Baghdad, while head coach Graham Arnold remains unable to travel from Dubai due to regional flight suspensions.
ESPN and Reuters report that Coach Arnold has strongly opposed any overland travel, citing grave safety concerns after recent drone and missile attacks in northern regions.
Arnold emphasized that he would not “expose his players” to such risks and has called for a quick decision from FIFA to provide certainty for the team’s “most important match in 40 years.”
Further complicating the situation, several players and support staff still lack necessary visas for Mexico or the United States, where a planned training camp in Houston has already been disrupted.
Arnold has suggested a revised schedule where the semi-final between Bolivia and Suriname proceeds this month, but Iraq’s final match is moved to June, just one week before the World Cup begins in North America.
In a secondary development reported by The Guardian, Iraq is also considered the primary candidate to replace neighboring Iran in the World Cup finals should Iran be forced to withdraw or be suspended due to the ongoing war.
As the next highest-ranked team in the Asian qualifying standings, Iraq would inherit Iran’s spot in the tournament if they do not qualify through the playoffs themselves.
As of March 9, FIFA has not yet issued an official response to the IFA’s postponement request.
Should FIFA postpone Iraq’s playoff match to ensure fairness?