Iraq national team players reacted cautiously to the announcement by the International Football Federation appointing Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton to lead the crucial match against Bolivia in the intercontinental playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The match will be held at the Monterrey stadium at six o'clock next Wednesday morning Baghdad time, with the winner directly qualifying for the finals, a goal pursued by the Lions of Mesopotamia since their last participation in 1986 in Mexico.

A source inside the camp said, "The technical staff led by Graham Arnold alerted the players to Barton's strictness and disciplinary tendencies, especially regarding the frequent issuance of colored cards. The decision was met with clear anticipation within the group."

He added, "Players were asked to avoid objections and arguments with the referee, to exercise self-control and avoid violent clashes, as any red card could disrupt the team's calculations in a match that does not tolerate mistakes."

Arnold emphasized distinguishing between enthusiasm and recklessness. The source continued, "The coach wants a fighting spirit without recklessness. Excessive aggression creates problems we can do without, and the goal is to present a clean match both tactically and ethically, as any uncalculated individual behavior could derail the confrontation."

The Iraqi team has faced repeated expulsions over the last two years, most notably Hussein Ali's expulsion against Algeria in the Arab Cup in Qatar in December 2025, which led to a two-match suspension and his exclusion from the playoff after serving only one match of the sanction.

Before that, Ali Al-Hamadi was expelled against South Korea in Basra on June 5, 2025, in a match that ended with Iraq losing 2-0, affecting the course of the qualifiers.

The most famous incident was Ayman Hussein's expulsion against Jordan on January 29, 2024, in the round of 16 of the 2023 Asian Cup, when he received a second yellow card and then a red card after celebrating a goal, a decision that sparked widespread controversy.