The participation of the Iraqi national football team in the continental playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is threatened due to the repercussions of the war in the Middle East, which has led to the closure of airspace and complicated the travel of players and the technical staff. The Iraqi team is preparing to play a decisive match in Monterrey, Mexico, on March 31, but the current circumstances cast doubt on their participation.

Iraq is supposed to face the winner of the match between Bolivia and Suriname in a decisive game that grants the winner a chance to qualify for the World Cup finals. However, the closure of Iraqi airspace and the disruption of air travel in the region make it difficult for the team to gather its players and travel to Mexico on the scheduled date, as it appears so far.

The team is also facing additional issues related to obtaining visas, as some embassies have closed due to security developments in the region. This has hindered several players and members of the technical and medical staff from obtaining entry visas to Mexico. Additionally, coach Graham Arnold was unable to leave the UAE due to travel disruptions.

The coaching staff of the Iraqi national team requested that FIFA consider postponing the match so that the team can gather and prepare properly, emphasizing that playing the game with an incomplete lineup would not be fair in the most important match for the team in decades.