The national teams of the United Arab Emirates and Iraq will meet on Thursday in Abu Dhabi for the first leg of the Asian playoff, offering both sides a new opportunity to join the eight Asian teams that have already secured direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Both teams reached this stage after failing to qualify from the fourth round of Asian qualifiers, where Saudi Arabia and Qatar advanced, while Oman and Indonesia were eliminated.
The winner of the playoff will face an opponent determined by a draw on November 20, following the second leg in Basra on November 18. The intercontinental playoff will feature representatives from Africa, South America, North and Central America, the Caribbean, and Oceania.
The World Cup finals will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. So far, 25 teams have secured qualification alongside the three hosts.
37,000 Spectators
The UAE Football Association announced that tickets for the match at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, with a capacity of approximately 37,000, are sold out. A broad social media campaign has also been launched to encourage fans to support the “Whites,” who aim to qualify for the World Cup for the second time after their 1990 appearance in Italy.
UAE fans recall some bitter memories from previous encounters with Iraq. The two teams have faced each other six times in World Cup qualifiers, with Iraq winning three, the UAE drawing two, and losing once.
The first two meetings, in September 1985, remain particularly memorable. During the second-to-last round of qualifying for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Iraq won the first leg in Dubai 3-2 after the UAE led 2-1 until the 79th minute. The UAE won the return leg 2-1 in Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd Stadium in Ta’if, but Iraq advanced on away goals to face Syria, eventually qualifying for the World Cup for the first time.
UAE sports historian Mohammed Al-Jawker told AFP: “Celebrations in the UAE for reaching the final stage began early, and the commentator even urged fans to greet the players at the airport. But our defender Mohamed Salem mishandled a ball in the box, allowing Karim Saddam to score the decisive goal that sent Iraq through to face Syria.”
He added: “The upcoming two matches between the teams are similar to what happened 40 years ago, as both are playoffs, with the first leg in the UAE and the return leg in Iraq.”
Former Al-Nasr player Khaled Ismail, who played in the 1990 World Cup and was part of the UAE squad against Iraq, said: “Participating in the World Cup was a big dream. We were close to the 1986 finals, but losing to Iraq despite leading 2-0 was bitter. A last-minute goal delayed our World Cup dream by five years.”
Team Updates
For Thursday’s match, UAE will miss top scorer Fabio Lima, who has 8 goals in the qualifiers, due to injury, along with midfielder Majed Hassan. Former international Spait Khater, who played in World Cup qualifiers from 2002 to 2010, told AFP: “Lima’s absence will be significant. The key is that the replacement can cover his role. The squad chosen by coach Cosmin Olăroiu is strong, and major changes were difficult to make. Substitutions are limited, with only a few new players added.”
Iraq also faces absences, including midfielders Ibrahim Baish, Yousif Al-Amin, and Montadar Al-Majid. Striker Ayman Hussein returns after missing the previous matches against Saudi Arabia and Indonesia due to injury.
Defender Zaid Tahseen told the Iraqi Football Association website: “The team’s preparations are good, and all players have been active with their clubs recently. We have no other chance; we must succeed after this long qualifying campaign. Many things have happened, and we want to make our fans happy. Their joy will be our reward, and we won’t disappoint them.”
Australian coach Graham Arnold said: “I am proud of the players’ work and commitment. The public and media were very disappointed after losing the chance to qualify from the Asian playoff (fourth round). Defensively, we were strong, conceding no goals in the playoff matches against Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, but we need to improve when controlling the ball. We are determined to qualify through this current playoff.”
Agence France-Presse
