Iraq head coach Graham Arnold has urged FIFA to postpone his team’s intercontinental World Cup playoff, citing severe disruptions caused by the escalating war in Iran, reports AP.
Iraq are scheduled to play a decisive playoff on March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico against either Suriname or Bolivia, but preparations have been badly affected by the regional conflict.
With Iraqi airspace closed until April 1, Arnold said the squad — largely composed of domestic league players — cannot assemble for training. Several players are also struggling to obtain Mexican visas due to embassy closures, while Arnold himself remains stranded in the United Arab Emirates.
“Please help us with this game because right now we are struggling to get our players out of Iraq,” Arnold, a former coach of the Australia national soccer team, told the Australian Associated Press.
The turmoil has already forced the cancellation of a planned training camp in Houston. Arnold said relying solely on overseas-based players would weaken the team at a crucial moment.
“It wouldn’t be our best team, and we need our best squad for the country’s biggest game in 40 years,” he said.
Arnold has proposed that Suriname and Bolivia play their preliminary match as scheduled, while Iraq’s decisive playoff is postponed until a week before the World Cup begins.
“This would give us time to prepare properly and allow FIFA to see how the situation with Iran develops,” he said.
Meanwhile, Adnan Dirjal, president of the Iraq Football Association, is reportedly working intensively to keep Iraq’s World Cup hopes alive, as Arnold stressed the need for a swift decision from FIFA.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
