Fifa World Cup 2026: after harrowing travel ordeal, Iraq hope to secure Asia its 9th spot
Iraq coach Graham Arnold shielding players from Mideast war ahead of intercontinental play-off against Bolivia in Mexico on Tuesday
Earlier this month, Iraq coach Graham Arnold was stranded in Fujairah, on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates, because of the Middle East war. He wondered if his national team would even be able to compete for one last chance to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
After travelling a long and winding road to reach Mexico, Arnold and Iraq will seek to return to a World Cup after an absence of 40 years when they face Bolivia in the final of their intercontinental play-off in Monterrey in northern Mexico on Tuesday.
Eight teams from the Asian zone have already qualified for the tournament starting in June in the United States, Mexico and Canada. If Iraq qualify, they will join Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan in the 48-team event.
“It’s been very difficult being stranded; I’d rather not talk about it, I try to remove all of that from the players’ brains because a lot of things are going on in the Middle East,” Arnold said on Monday in a media conference.
At least 101 people have been killed in Iraq since the conflict erupted on February 28, according to an AFP tally.
“Representing 46 million people is a unique experience,” Arnold said. “A major part of my job has focused on the mental aspect.