Kickoff Time Tweaked for Saudi Arabia vs Iraq in Asian World Cup Playoffs

Schedule Change and Match Details

The Asian Football Confederation has adjusted the kickoff time for the Saudi Arabia vs Iraq match in the 2026 World Cup Asian playoff. Saudi Arabia will face Indonesia first, at the Enmaa Stadium in Jeddah, on the upcoming Wednesday, as part of the playoff group stage, before the date with Iraq on October 14.

The Saudi Football Federation received a formal letter from the AFC informing that the start time of the Green Falcons' match against Iraq has been moved to 9:45 pm local time instead of 10:30 pm.

The Saudi FA will soon announce details of the revised schedule, hosting venue, and related arrangements.

The AFC appointed Kuwaiti referee Ahmed Al-Ali to officiate the Saudi vs Indonesia clash, a decision that drew some reaction, particularly from Indonesian circles.

Ahmed Al-Ali has officiated 56 international matches to date, issuing 188 yellow cards, 3 red cards, and awarding 14 penalties.

Path to the World Cup: the AFC playoff format sees group winners advance directly to World Cup 2026, while the runners-up meet in home-and-away ties for a spot in a continental playoff in March.

Six Asian teams have qualified for World Cup 2026 so far: Japan, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and Jordan.

Squad News and Milestones

Salah Al-Dossari, 34, is set to move up in the Saudi Arabia all-time World Cup qualifying appearances list when he features against Indonesia and Iraq in October, with 29 prior caps across four campaigns (2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026 qualifiers). He will be tied with Mohammed Abdul Jawad at 30 appearances in eighth place.

Saudi and journalist duo Saud Abdul Hamid and Marwan Al-Shohafi returned to training after club duties, with the squad working on ball possession and tactical drills at the Enmaa stadium in Jeddah. Mohannad Al-Saad rejoined the group after Lausanne’s match with Young Boys, while Marwan Al-Shohafi played part of Antwerp vs Cercle Brugge, and Saud Abdul Hamid was on the bench for Lens vs Auxerre.

The Saudi Football Federation said the green-clad supporters council will distribute shirts and scarves to all attendees for the Indonesia and Iraq matches, aiming to unify the stands in a sea of green and boost the atmosphere. A large promotional banner will be raised during both games, starting from warm-up until the final whistle. A tif-related surprise is still on hold, with organizers promising a joyful reveal if the team beats Indonesia. Tickets for the Saudi vs Indonesia match sold out the second batch, with a third batch planned roughly 72 hours before kickoff.

Punchline time: If the kickoff time moves again, I’m filing a complaint with my calendar—the thing actually understands deadlines better than I do. And if the Wi-Fi drops during the match, at least the score will be the only thing that’s buffering in real time.