Iraq will travel to Mexico for the 2026 World Cup playoffs, the country’s football federation said on Saturday, despite calls for a postponement due to the ongoing war in the Middle East.“The national team will travel to Mexico this weekend on a private jet,” Adnan Diljar, president of the Iraqi Football Federation, said in a statement, adding that they had contacted FIFA to help organize the trip due to flight disruptions due to regional conflicts.
“We have successfully communicated with some of the clubs of our professional players to facilitate their joining the national team.”The game is scheduled to take place on March 31 in the Mexican city of Monterrey.Iraq will face either Suriname or Bolivia in the intercontinental play-off final.The winner will be placed in Group 1 with France, Senegal and Norway in the first round of this summer’s men’s tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.The war triggered by the US-Israeli attack on February 28 has also brought uncertainty to Iran’s participation in this global event.President of the United States Donald Trump Iran warned on Thursday that its “lives and safety” in the United States could be at risk, even as FIFA president Gianni Infantino said they were welcome to compete.The conflict has also raised concerns about Iraq’s participation, with the team’s coach earlier urging FIFA to postpone the playoffs given its proximity to Iran and the potential for travel disruption.Iraq coach Australian Graham Arnold said several players and technical staff were trapped in the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict.
