JAKARTA - Iraq's hopes of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup have been affected by the Iran war as players were unable to obtain visas for the inter-continental qualification in Mexico. In fact, the team coach was stuck in the United Arab Emirates.
"Due to the closure of the airspace, our head coach, Graham Arnold, cannot leave the United Arab Emirates. In addition, some embassies remain closed at the moment, preventing some professional players, technical and medical staff from obtaining entry visas to Mexico," the Iraqi Football Federation (IFA) said in a statement on Instagram.
The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, local time, that visa complications arose because Mexico did not have an embassy in Iraq, but the Mexican embassy in the United Arab Emirates had contacted the IFA.
The statement added that visas can be issued in any European country. Therefore, they have asked the IFA to provide the names of people who will travel to Mexico to expedite the visa issuance procedure.
Iraq are scheduled to play against either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31, 2026, to contest one of the last two qualifying places for the 2026 World Cup to be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
IFA said it was continuing to communicate with FIFA regarding the arrangements for the participation of the Iraqi National Team (Timnas) in the match.
They also said that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) was fully aware of any developments regarding the Iraqi national team situation.
Iraq are only seeking to appear for a second time at a World Cup finals and their first since 1986.
If Iraq fails to qualify through the inter-confederation qualifiers, they can take another route if Iran cannot participate in the tournament due to the attacks of the United States and Israel on the country.
"We cannot be expected to look forward to the 2026 World Cup with hope," said the President of the Iranian Football Federation (FFIRI), Mehdi Taj.
If Iran withdraws - which is still highly speculative - Iraq or the United Arab Emirates are likely to replace them as the ninth and 10th ranked Asian teams in the qualifiers.
However, FIFA's legal code is still vague and appears to give FIFA President Gianni Infantino broad authority to shape any decision.
Iraq's best hope of qualifying remains winning this month's inter-confederation play-off.
Arnold, who led Australia to the 2022 World Cup, said last month that good preparation would be the key to his team's hopes.
"I really can't tell you who I think will win between Bolivia and Suriname, but the most important thing is that we do the right thing with ourselves."
"We have to make sure that our preparations are right and the players are fit and ready," Arnold told FIFA's official website.
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