The coach of the Iraqi national team, Graham Arnold, expressed his sadness for not qualifying directly for the 2026 World Cup, while confirming that the focus is now on playing against Jordan and fully preparing for the Asian playoff.

Arnold said at the press conference held on the eve of the match against Jordan: "We are undoubtedly frustrated after losing to South Korea, but I am very proud of the players' performance in that match, especially since they fought with ten players. There is nothing more important than making the Iraqi people happy and making them proud of their national team."

He added: "We have officially started preparing for the playoff, and we will face Jordan with the ambition of achieving a positive result. For me, there is no such thing as a meaningless match; all matches are important, and we must focus 100%. Anyone who wears the Iraq jersey must play only to win."

He continued: "My job is to lead Iraq to the World Cup, and I believe in the players and their ability to reach it, whether through direct qualification or through the playoff. I have succeeded in this mission before with Australia, and we will repeat it here, God willing."

Regarding the new names, Arnold said: "Imar Sher represents an important addition to the team, and he is performing wonderfully in the Norwegian league. We are also monitoring the progress of Hussein Ali, who has returned to training and may participate against Jordan."

He also indicated that he will closely follow the Iraqi league after returning from Jordan, in addition to monitoring the professionals to select the best for the upcoming stage.

Arnold concluded his remarks by saying: "I know the Jordanian team well, and I have faced them many times, but the most important thing now is to develop the Iraqi team and motivate the players for the next stage. Qualification is still possible, and we must fight for it with all we have."