War in the Middle East: Iraq calls for postponement of World Cup playoff matches
Due to regional tensions and travel difficulties linked to the closure of Iraqi airspace, Iraq’s head coach Graham Arnold has asked FIFA to postpone Iraq’s World Cup qualifying playoff.
The current geopolitical tensions could have direct repercussions on the Iraqi team’s preparations. Iraq’s head coach, Graham Arnold, has officially asked FIFA to postpone the FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff match. The match, scheduled for March 31 in Monterrey, will pit Iraq against the winner of the Bolivia vs. Suriname duel. The Australian coach justifies his request by the tense security situation in the Middle East, notably marked by tensions involving the USA, Israel and Iran. A situation that heavily complicates travel for the Iraqi squad.
Since the end of February, Iraq has indeed closed its airspace, making the travel of many international players and staff members called to join the squad particularly difficult. This would not be our best team, and we need our best team for the country’s most important match in 40 years, explained Arnold.
The head coach also highlighted the immense passion of the Iraqi people for football. Iraqis are incredibly passionate about this sport. The fact that the country has not qualified for the World Cup in 40 years is probably one of the reasons I took this job. But with the airport closure, we are actively working to find a solution, he added. Iraq qualified for these playoffs after their victory over the United Arab Emirates national football team in the previous round. Aware of the importance of this deadline, Arnold emphasizes the need to have a full squad. According to him, having to rely solely on players competing abroad would considerably jeopardize their chances of qualification.
Comments