Graham Arnold has urged FIFA to postpone Iraq’s intercontinental FIFA World Cup playoff in Mexico later this month, citing travel disruption caused by the escalating conflict in neighboring Iran.
The Iraq national football team fear they may struggle to transport players and staff to Monterrey for the March 31 playoff against either the Bolivia national football team or the Suriname national football team because of widespread travel restrictions across the Middle East.
Arnold warned that assembling a squad made up only of players based outside Iraq would significantly weaken the team’s chances of reaching the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
“It wouldn’t be our best team and we need our best team available for the country’s biggest game in 40 years,” the Australian told Australian Associated Press (AP) from his home in the United Arab Emirates.
“The Iraqi people are so passionate about the game of football that it is insane. The fact that they haven’t qualified for 40 years is probably the main reason I took this job.
“But at this stage, with the airport being shut down, we are working hard to try to find another alternative.”
Iraqi airspace has been closed since the United States and Israel launched air attacks on Iran on Feb. 28 and the Islamic Republic responded by firing missiles and drones at Israel, Gulf states and other nearby countries.
Bolivia and Suriname are scheduled to meet in the intercontinental playoff semifinal in Monterrey on March 26 to decide which team will face Iraq in the final five days later.
“In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game, it gives us time to prepare properly,” Arnold added.
“Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup we play the winner in the U.S. The winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home.
“Our federation’s president, Adnan Dirjal, is working around the clock trying to plan and prepare to make everyone in Iraq’s dream come true, so we need this decision made quickly.”
The finals will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
There was no immediate response from FIFA, global football’s governing body, to a request for comment on Arnold’s suggestion.
New Caledonia, Jamaica and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will travel to Guadalajara later this month to compete in the other three-team playoff for a place at the World Cup finals.
