Arab Decider: UAE and Iraq Clash in Do-or-Die Asian Playoff for a Shot at the 2026 World Cup Inter-Confederation Tournament

All eyes in the Arab and Asian football communities will be on the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, where the national teams of the UAE and Iraq will meet in the first leg of the Asian playoff for a spot in the Inter-Confederation Playoff for the 2026 World Cup. This crucial match offers one team a final opportunity to continue their qualification journey after both failed to secure direct entry.

Match Details and Global Ambitions:

First Leg: Takes place Thursday on UAE soil.

Second Leg: Will be hosted in Basra, Iraq, on November 18.

The winner on aggregate will advance to face teams from various continents (Africa, South America, North and Central America, and Oceania) in the Inter-Confederation Playoff, the draw for which will take place on November 20.

Both nations harbor significant historical ambitions:

UAE: The "Al-Abyad" (The White) aim for a return to the World Cup stage after their sole appearance in the 1990 edition.

Iraq: The "Lions of Mesopotamia" seek to end their long absence from the tournament since 1986.

Injuries and Cautious Optimism:

Match preparations have seen massive public interest, with the UAE Football Association announcing that all tickets for the 37,000-seater stadium have sold out amid a major promotional campaign to support the home team.

However, the UAE squad faces notable injury absences, most importantly top scorer Fabio Lima (8 goals in qualifiers) and midfielder Majed Hassan. Former Emirati international Saeed Khater commented: "Lima's absence will be influential, but alternatives are available, and coach Cosmin has chosen the most suitable elements given the difficulty of making major changes to the lineup."

Conversely, Iraq will be missing Ibrahim Baish, Youssef Al-Amin, and Muntadher Al-Majed, but they will be bolstered by the return of key striker Aymen Hussein, who missed the previous two rounds due to injury.

In an enthusiastic statement, Iraqi defender Zaid Tahseen said: "There is no other chance for us. We are tired of these long qualifiers, and we will fight to bring joy to the fans."

The 2026 World Cup finals are scheduled to be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.