Iraq national team head coach Graham Arnold has requested a delay in his country’s World Cup playoff later this month amid a tumultuous situation across the Middle East.
The United States and Israel attacked Iran late last month, setting off a conflict across the region. That has included Iraq, where Iran has launched missile attacks at a U.S. air base in Erbil.
As a result, Iraqi airspace has been closed down. According to The Guardian, the Iraq Football Association (IFA) was notified that the closure would last for “at least four weeks.’
Iraq is currently scheduled to play the winner of a playoff between Bolivia and Suriname on March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico, with a place at the World Cup at stake.
A significant percentage of Iraq’s current squad is based in the country’s domestic league, making the prospect of the players safely traveling to Mexico seemingly remote.
In addition, the IFA has said that many of its players and technical staff are unable to obtain entry visas to Mexico with several embassies across the Middle East closed.
In an interview with the Australian Associated Press, Arnold called on FIFA to postpone Iraq’s game later this month.
‘In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game, it gives us time to prepare properly,’ Arnold said. ‘Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the U.S. – the winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home.’
Iran has already qualified for the World Cup, but the country’s participation is very much in doubt following the outbreak of conflict.
Arnold suggested that Iraq – the highest-ranking Asian team not yet in the World Cup based on the qualifying tournament – should be given Iran’s spot if it eventually withdraws from the World Cup.
‘In my opinion, (delaying Iraq’s match) also gives FIFA more time to decide what Iran is going to do,’ Arnold said.
‘If Iran withdraws, we go into the World Cup, and it gives the UAE, who we beat in qualifying, the chance to prepare for either Bolivia or Suriname.’
Arnold himself is currently stuck in the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement from the IFA last week.
The coach added that it would be unfair to ask Iraq to play a match for a World Cup spot without any domestic-based players available.
‘A team made up only of players from outside Iraq would not be our best team, and we need our best team available for the country’s biggest game in 40 years,’ he said.
Iraq has only qualified for one World Cup in its history, which came in 1986.