The President of the Asian Football Confederation, Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, expressed his full support for the President of the Iraqi Football Association, Adnan Darjal, praising the significant efforts made by the Iraqi Federation in developing the game and raising the level of national teams in recent times.

Salman confirmed, in official statements, that Iraqi football is on the right track to regain its continental status, noting that the advancements achieved over the past two years in infrastructure development, organizing local tournaments, and activating the Iraqi Stars League are important steps within the sports reform project led by the Iraqi Federation.

The AFC President said: "We appreciate the great work being done by the Iraqi Football Association under the leadership of Adnan Darjal, and we are closely following the efforts made to uplift Iraqi football, which has been and remains a fundamental pillar in the history of Asian football."

He added: "Iraq has a large fan base and talented players, and what it needs is to continue working with a clear and ongoing vision, and we at the AFC support all steps that contribute to enhancing Iraq's football status, both at the club and national team levels."

Salman bin Ibrahim continued his remarks, saying: "What the Iraqi national team presented in the recent Asian qualifiers was good despite not securing direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup, but we believe that this team has all the components to come back strongly in the upcoming playoff against the UAE, and we wish it all the best in achieving the dreams of the Iraqi fans."

The AFC President concluded his statement by confirming that the continental federation will continue to provide logistical and technical support to Iraq, including training and refereeing development programs, and projects for the rehabilitation of Asian-approved stadiums, pointing out that Iraq has proven during its hosting of numerous tournaments in recent years that it is ready to play a pivotal role in the future of Asian football.

For his part, the President of the Iraqi Football Association, Adnan Darjal, expressed his deep gratitude for Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim's position, affirming that this support represents a significant incentive to continue working towards the development of Iraqi football and achieving more accomplishments at both regional and international levels.