The Iraqi national team aims to overcome the obstacle of the Asian playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, after being drawn into Group B alongside Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. The matches in this group will take place at the Jewel Stadium in Jeddah starting from October 8. The task will not be easy for the Lions of Mesopotamia, according to several experts and analysts who emphasized the importance of good preparation and intensive technical work to achieve qualification.

Technical analyst Rafiq Salem stated in exclusive remarks that the Iraqi team, led by coach Graham Arnold, must focus on three essential conditions to ensure success. The first is the presence of a comprehensive technical plan from the coaching staff, the second is good preparation through quality friendly matches to enhance readiness, and the third condition is to study opponents carefully and analyze their playing styles, especially since the teams of Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have a clear attacking style and technical capabilities. Meanwhile, Arnold is still searching for the best ways to utilize his players and achieve the required harmony.

For his part, former international player Safwan Abdul Ghani pointed out that Group B is not as balanced as some might think; it includes ambitious and developed teams ready to participate in the playoff with high spirits. He considered the Saudi team a strong candidate for qualification as they play at home and among their fans, having previously performed well in the Gold Cup, reflecting the efforts of the Saudi Football Federation to compensate for the failure in the qualifiers. As for the Indonesian team, it has shown significant development and qualified from a tough group, achieving notable results against strong teams, making it a formidable opponent, especially with professional players and a coach who knows how to read matches.

Abdul Ghani added that Iraq also has a great opportunity, especially if the result of the first match between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia is in favor of the Green team, as this would give the Lions of Mesopotamia a chance to pave their way to qualification by winning against Indonesia and then seeking a draw against Saudi Arabia in the playoff finale, which would provide Iraq with a real advantage. He stressed that the coaching staff must take advantage of the match schedule and analyze every detail before entering the playoff atmosphere.

As part of the preparations, the Iraqi Football Federation has decided to participate in the King's Cup in Thailand, which will be held from September 1 to 9, in a move aimed at preparing the team in the best possible way and providing high-level exposure before entering a decisive playoff that could lead Iraq to the World Cup for the second time in its history after the historic participation in 1986.