Iraq and the United Arab Emirates will rekindle their World Cup ambitions this week when they clash in a two-legged Asian Confederation playoff that will determine who advances to the intercontinental play-off for the final berth at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The first leg takes place on Thursday in Abu Dhabi, with the return match scheduled for Basra, Iraq, four days later.
The aggregate winner will move on to the intercontinental playoff — the final hurdle to secure the 48th and last qualification slot for the expanded tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Both sides enter the tie still nursing the disappointment of missing automatic qualification.
Iraq narrowly lost out to Saudi Arabia last month, denying them a return to the World Cup for the first time since their sole appearance in 1986.
The UAE, who last graced the global stage in 1990, saw their hopes dashed by Qatar in the earlier qualifying phase.
Iraq will rely heavily on the experience of coach Graham Arnold, the Australian tactician who guided his home nation through a similar play-off route to reach the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“We’re doing everything we possibly can for Iraq to make sure we qualify,” Arnold said while unveiling his squad last week. His team has been boosted by the return of talismanic striker Aymen Hussein from injury.
“I know a lot of fans and media were disappointed after the Saudi game, but I was proud of the players’ work ethic,” Arnold added. “Defensively we were excellent — we didn’t concede against Saudi Arabia or Indonesia — but we must improve in front of goal.”
Indeed, Iraq’s goal-scoring record remains a concern, with only two goals in four matches since Arnold took charge in May. The UAE, under Romanian coach Cosmin Olaroiu, have been slightly more productive, scoring four times in their last four fixtures after replacing Paulo Bento.
For both nations, the stakes could not be higher. Victory over the two legs will keep their World Cup dream alive — defeat will bring it to an end for another four years.
Graham Arnold, Iraq Coach