World Cup Dreams Persist: Saudi Hold Iraq as Both Teams Chase a Global Playoff Thunderbolt

World Cup Dream Hangs by a Thread as Saudi Hold Iraq to a Goalless Draw

A somber mood settled over the Iraq camp after Tuesday's goalless draw with Saudi Arabia at the Al-Inma Stadium, closing Group B of Asia's World Cup playoff for 2026. The clash left both sides to reassess their chances in a qualification race that won't quit easily.

Saudi Arabia officially sealed their seventh World Cup appearance by topping the group with four points, edging Iraq on the basis of goals scored.

Saudi had earlier beaten Indonesia 3-2 in the opening leg of the Asian playoff, while Iraq defeated Indonesia 1-0, keeping both sides within reach of a place in the global playoff.

The draw leaves Iraq with one last hurdle against the United Arab Emirates, scheduled for November 13 in Abu Dhabi, with the return leg set for November 18 in Basra.

The global playoff, due in March, involves six teams from Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania, plus two teams from North America — and two matches will separate the 2026 finalists.

Two teams will advance to the World Cup finals via this playoff, and Iraq clings to a sliver of hope to end a 40-year wait for a World Cup appearance.

After the final whistle, Iraqi Football Association president Adnan Darjal held a players’ meeting. He urged the squad to rebound in the UAE clash, insisting they must apologize to the loyal fans, fight for the result, and be fully prepared for the return leg at home.

Darjal said he told the players that the opportunity remains and that they must fight for it; they will be back at home for the return.

He added that the team should train well in the coming days and stay injury-free, aiming to arrive in peak technical and mental shape in November.

In the opposing camp, Australia-born Iraq coach Graham Arnold delivered fiery remarks in the post-match press conference. He said he was proud of the players and that everyone had given their all despite several absences, notably striker Ayman Hussein.

Arnold criticized the AFC playoff format as strange, saying he had not seen such a system in his coaching career. He recalled that when he previously coached Australia, they were told the World Cup playoffs would not be hosted by participating nations, only to see the format change later.

He continued that they were informed the playoffs would be on neutral soil, possibly Malaysia, but matches ended up staged in the homes of the two highest-ranked sides, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Arnold argued that it is odd for the hosts to enjoy six days of rest while the visitors travel and have only three days, noting Saudi’s home advantage in this clash. He concluded that this view is shared by others, including former Oman coach Carlos Queiroz as a critic of the system.

A forthcoming meeting between Darjal and Arnold is planned to map out preparations for the UAE games and a plan for the world playoff, including camp schedules and evaluations.

Iraq has qualified for the World Cup only once, in 1986 in Mexico, led by Ahmed Radhi, who scored the lone Iraqi goal in the finals.

The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada; seven Arab nations will participate for the first time: Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with the tally possibly rising to eight if Iraq or the UAE advance through the world playoff.

The dream remains fragile, but Iraqi supporters deserve credit for sticking with the team through a long, unpredictable journey.

Punchline 1: If hope were a football, Iraq would be chasing it all the way to the corner flag and still asking for extra time. Punchline 2: If this playoff system were a stand‑up routine, the crowd would still be laughing at the rules while the ball keeps finding the goal anyway.