Iraq to travel for Mexico playoff despite coach’s call for postponement

## Summary
Advertisement Sport Iraq to travel for Mexico playoff despite coach’s call for postponement FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Arab Cup - Qatar 2025 - Quarter Final - Jordan v Iraq - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - December 12, 2025 Iraq coach Graham Arnold before the match REUTERS/Mohammed Salem/File Photo 15 Mar 2026 07:26AM Bookmark Bookmark Share WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Set CNA as your preferred source on Google Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results. Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST March 14 : - Iraq will travel to Mexico at the end of the week for their World Cup playoff despite calls from coach Graham Arnold to postpone the match as they are facing travel disruption due to the Middle East conflict, the country's FA president Adnan Dirjal said on Saturday. Dirjal said in a video statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency that the federation had written to world soccer's governing body FIFA to explain “the situation in the region and the difficulties facing the national team”. Arnold had urged FIFA to delay the playoff, warning that Iraq may not be able to assemble a full squad which would hurt their bid to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986. (Reporting Ashraf Hamed Atta, editing by Pritha Sarkar) Source: Reuters Newsletter Recommended Read Subscribe to CNA's Recommended Read A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss.

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Iraq to travel for Mexico playoff despite coach’s call for postponement
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Arab Cup - Qatar 2025 - Quarter Final - Jordan v Iraq - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - December 12, 2025 Iraq coach Graham Arnold before the match REUTERS/Mohammed Salem/File Photo
15 Mar 2026 07:26AM
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March 14 : - Iraq will travel to Mexico at the end of the week for their World Cup playoff despite calls from coach Graham Arnold to postpone the match as they are facing travel disruption due to the Middle East conflict, the country's FA president Adnan Dirjal said on Saturday.
Iraq are due to face either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey on March 31. Regional airspace has been closed since February 28, when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, grounding several flights.
Dirjal said in a video statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency that the federation had written to world soccer's governing body FIFA to explain “the situation in the region and the difficulties facing the national team”.
He added that FIFA had been “cooperative” and helped overcome logistical obstacles.
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He confirmed Iraq had secured entry visas and would fly on a chartered aircraft, with Europe-based players joining separately.
Arnold had urged FIFA to delay the playoff, warning that Iraq may not be able to assemble a full squad which would hurt their bid to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
(Reporting Ashraf Hamed Atta, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Source: Reuters
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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less He confirmed Iraq had secured entry visas and would fly on a chartered aircraft, with Europe-based players joining separately.

### Implications
- Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST March 14 : - Iraq will travel to Mexico at the end of the week for their World Cup playoff despite calls from coach Graham Arnold to postpone the match as they are facing travel disruption due to the Middle East conflict, the country's FA president Adnan Dirjal said on Saturday.
- Arnold had urged FIFA to delay the playoff, warning that Iraq may not be able to assemble a full squad which would hurt their bid to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986. (Reporting Ashraf Hamed Atta, editing by Pritha Sarkar) Source: Reuters Newsletter Recommended Read Subscribe to CNA's Recommended Read A single handpicked story that we think you shouldn't miss.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers iraq, fast, cna topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 494.